Chromatic Wings
by Hero Protagonist
Summary: We all know the story of Xayah and Rakan, but what if before Xayah could meet the canonical love of her life she instead came in contact with a certain drunk? When the worlds of Runeterra and Remnant meet the possibilities are endless, but is this meeting as new as people think? (Xayah x Qrow, slowburn. Begins between RWBY volumes 2 and 3) (Cover by Sayomi 96 on Twitter)
1. Chapter 1 - The Qrowing

**Chapter 1 - The Qrowing**

 _Why was it that people fought tooth and nail for their sacred possessions any time I came to kick in their door? They could just spare me the effort of having to drive my feathers through them by dropping dead. I mean, it'd be cleaner than the mess they made when they're punctured multiple times, and it was naive to believe they actually had a chance._

Xayah rolled her eyes as soon as she came to the realization that she asked herself this question every single time a fight started. The sardonic gesture repeated itself when she saw someone try to get the jump on her from out of the corner of her golden irises. One second they were in the air with an axe over their head, and the next they were pinned to a worn down wall with three feathers protruding from their body. Unfortunately, the grim spectacle did little to deter the rest of the sellswords that were swinging wildly at her.

The employer of this band clearly didn't understand that if you wanted quality, your purse would have to have quantity. These people looked like they barely learned how to pick up a sword yesterday and the Vestayan rebel almost felt bad. Almost.

Another flick of the wrist and four more were added to her kill count. The idea of such a counter was pretty morbid, but when you spent most of your days alone, it tended to give you something to look forward to. Plus, Xayah was never one to concern herself with what others thought of her. She wasn't trying to impress anyone.

The crimson-winged revolutionary threw one last glance over her shoulder to make sure she had gotten everyone outside of the old temple. Satisfied with the lack of movement from the dreary yet placid forest around her, she headed inside.

The two wooden doors creaked violently in protest as they were pushed aside. Xayah immediately bit her tongue to stop herself from cursing at the thought of her presence being given away. To make matters worse, there wasn't much cover inside save for some overturned shelves and tables which meant places to hide were limited. The only saving grace was that the area was devoid of all light except for an eerie red glow that was casted along the walls.

Xayah"s eyes naturally adjusted immediately to the darkness, and upon counting to twenty without anyone coming to check on the entrance, she decided to move forward. Her path lead her through two more empty doorways and a long hall. The red glow remained, with the intensity of it increasing as she traversed deeper into the temple. It was almost as if it was threatening to capture the monument from the inside out.

The short exploration soon paid off as Xayah entered a large chamber. Part of her expected to come up empty once more, but despite being wrong, she wasn't exactly thrilled. Waiting in the chamber was the source of the red glow, which looked to be a large circular portal. Where it lead to and why it was here was unknown.

That wasn't all though, there were multiple robed figures sprawled out all over the ground. A cursory glance revealed that there was seven of them, and the smell was assurance that they had recently been slain. A shame if Xayah was being honest, she always enjoyed showing 'mages' that their control over arcane power was obsolete compared to nature. Death, no matter from what cause, was fitting for them.

Certain that there wouldn't be any more fighting, the Vastayan began to search for the relic that had drawn her there. She had seen an artifact from her people being handed off in a back alley while passing through the capital city of Ionia. As much as Xayah hated being around those that ruined her homeland, most people who robbed from her people resided there. That meant if she wanted leads for people to enact her revenge on, she'd have to pop in every once and awhile.

The breadcrumb trail had ended at this temple. It was no surprise that they would use one of the religious places from her people's past for whatever disgusting desire they had. In doing so they had desecrated the forest around it, draining it of any life or color for miles. All for some meddlesome portal.

Xayah continued to search for the artifact, but after five more minutes of looking, she continued to come up empty. It also didn't help that she had the eerie feeling of _something_ observing her. It definitely wasn't someone, she would've caught them with her enhanced senses. Not only that, but everything in her mind was telling her that she was prey. What some would consider a sixth sense was indicating that running was the only option. That made her angry.

She wasn't naive, and she knew when she was in over her head. A room full of dead people was something she was confident she could handle. The only other thing present was that portal, and that made the choice to destroy it very attractive.

The feathers that made up Xayah's large wing stiffened as she drew four feather daggers. She'd pierce the support structure around the arcane entrance and cause it to collapse. It was clear what she was looking for wasn't here, so the only option after would be to leave.

Xayah took one last deep breath to try and shake the ominous feeling that had gripped her when she entered this room, but it was futile. The magical daggers in her hand began to leave her fingers before being abruptly launched in a different direction. Just as they were about to be thrown, a piercing white light flooded the room causing the winged marksman to miss her shot entirely. Instead the enchanted quills embedded themselves into the wall behind her target.

When all vision returned the first thing Xayah noticed was the sound of heavy panting. Her golden eyes followed it to the portal, and she almost gasped in shock. The crimson gateway to the unknown was destroyed, and instead there was a human standing in its place. He seemed heavily injured and exhausted, but it took a lot more than that for Xayah to drop her guard. The portal could've been a summon, and he was what the mages were looking for. If that were the case, this would end here and now.

The human's mouth began to move and she was ready for the worst, but all that escaped his lips was a weak whisper.

"Behind… You…"

It could've been a ruse, but she decided to heed the warning. Large white claws were immediately sidestepped, causing the sound of a powerful blow against stone to fill the room. Those claws belonged to a creature that distinctly resembled a werewolf. It was tall and lanky with a mask of bone that shielded its glowing eyes. There were several spikes made from the same material protruding from its body, and Xayah quickly discerned that this was what had been observing her when she entered the room.

Executing a nimble back flip to create some distance between her and the creature, four more feather daggers were summoned and deftly thrown. Those projectiles embedded themselves into the creature's body, but it didn't seem to care. Before it could make its next move, Xayah mentally called back the lethal quills. The feathers that had been lodged into the monster immediately returned to her hand, causing enough pain for the black werewolf to fall over and begin to disappear into a dark smoke.

There was no blood pouring out from its wounds, nothing. That would've easily been the most off putting thing if it wasn't for the fact that the monster's presence felt empty. It was much less like there was something there and more like a void that was taking something away. Xayah could sense no emotion, no signs of life, just nothing.

Refocusing on the large chamber around her served as a reminder that someone had come out of the now destroyed portal. He was on the ground, and Xayah quickly dashed over to see if he was still conscious. Soft breathing assured he was, and the Vastayan immediately began wondering if she should kill him here and now. Intentions weren't known, and this could be a loose end that would cause trouble in the future.

He had warned her of an enemy though, and that alone saved her life. Despite the fact he was human, something felt righr about keeping him alive since he had done the same for her. However, if he was an issue, she could always kill him later.

Deciding to show mercy, Xayah scooped the human up in her arms, quickly forcing herself to not drop him. To say he was heavy was an understatement, and the large sword on his back wasn't helping matters. She had already committed to letting him live though, and despite this place being from a past Vastayan civilization, it was seriously giving her the creeps. So with no shortage of annoyance, Xayah carried the human outside of the temple and into the now colorful forest.

Destruction of the portal seemed to have returned the life that had been drained from the surrounding area. The creatures of the night sang happily, as if they were celebrating their return home. Soon it was almost as if nothing had ever happened to this portion of nature, and there was something inspiring about that. This was another notable thing this human had done, however it was something Xayah was about to do, so he got no extra points for that.

It wasn't too long before a suitable area for a fire was found, and the extra weight in the woman's arms was put down with a little too much excitement. She wasn't going to carry him for a second longer than necessary.

A pang of hunger soon struck reminding her that it had been some time since her last meal. Materials were quickly gathered and a fire was started. The warm orange flames danced to and fro as they were given life. Xayah contemplated waking sleeping beauty who was now basking in the glow of the hungry flames, but she figured he'd be fine if she disappeared for a few minutes.

Satisfied, Xayah headed into the surrounding trees in search for dinner. A few minutes later she returned with several berries and two rabbits that were unfortunate enough to have crossed her field of view. A large rock was moved toward the fire and she took a seat before getting to work preparing her next meal. Plucking one of the many deadly quills from her wing, Xayah began to skin the rabbits. It wasn't glamorous work, but there was no glamor in starving.

As the task was continued, Xayah made sure to mentally thank the spiritual energy that was nature for allowing her to continue to sustain herself. Her father had always taught that the Vastaya should at least do that when they hunted for their food.

" _If it wasn't for nature's generosity, none of us would be here,"_ he'd say with a smile before they ate.

Xayah missed him, she missed him a lot. It had been a few years since that fateful moment when she had returned home from visiting a nearby village. Everyone was gone, with not even the slightest trace of the thriving clan that once resided there left behind. All that was left in its place was a temple in an eerily similar situation to the ruin she had just found the portal in.

Removing the last of the skin from the second rabbit, Xayah brought herself back to the present with a hefty sigh. While foraging around for food earlier, she had found two decent sized sticks which were subsequently sharpened and stabbed into the ground near the fire. Now the rabbits were impaled onto them so they could cook without having to be given too much attention.

An involuntary yawn escaped the Vestayan's lips as she searched for something to occupy her easily bored mind. Xayah didn't have to look far as her eyes fell on the sleeping figure on the other side of the flames. Several cuts marred his body, cuts that had long since been closed by dry blood. The clothes he wore weren't quite in tatters, but they had definitely seen better days. He turned in his sleep, giving a better view of the scruffy hair on his jawline.

More pressing matters filled her mind as she tried to discern what him coming out of that portal meant. She had expected something malevolent, and he was human so maybe that's what he was, but at the same time he had saved her with a warning. Maybe he had been too tired to kill her, but wanted the credit? That seemed a bit plausible, she was Vastayan after all. People would kill to get their hands on her feathers. However, it didn't make sense. That decision hinged on her choice of pulling him out of the temple. She could be long gone, leaving him to die.

Xayah had never been one to leave things to chance, so she took this opportunity to relieve the human of his weapons. Beginning with the obvious one, she took the sword that normally rested on his back and hid it behind the large rock she had been sitting on. It wasn't much of a hiding place, but he'd still have to get past her to get it. Sleep wasn't something she was planning on tonight, so she wasn't too concerned about getting snuck up on.

Next she decided to pat him down to make sure he didn't have any other deadly things on his person. The first thing that was found was a flask in one of his shirt pockets. Xayah immediately unscrewed the top and smelled the contents expecting water, but was surprised when the strong acrid scent of alcohol filled her nose. The smell reminded her how long it had been since she stepped into a tavern. Too long.

Weighing her options, the Vastayan rebel took a swig. Just like its scent, the liquor was strong, and Xayah soon felt a familiar warm feeling in the pit of her stomach. She never was one for taste, but she had to admit that the flavor was an enjoyable one.

Now, was it smart to go around drinking things that belonged to a random human? Absolutely not. Did she regret it? Absolutely not.

After wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, the flask was closed and placed next to where Xayah was previously sitting. She did save his life after all, a little alcohol was peanuts compared to that.

The search for weapons stopped there as the smell of something burning filled the air. Xayah's attention was quickly shifted toward the rabbits that were cooking. A curse in her native language soon left her lips as she noticed that one was beginning to burn.

 _Well that doesn't make any sense._

It really didn't, Xayah was never careless when it came to cooking things. She prided herself on knowing exactly how long something would take, and the task would always be in the back of her mind. On top of that, the rabbit that was burning was placed slightly further away from the flames than the other one which was still not done cooking.

Letting out an annoyed sigh, the Vastayan rebel removed the slightly burnt animal from the area around the fire before returning to her seat. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

Xayah awoke the next morning with a start, practically jumping from her resting place. Dawn would be arriving shortly, and the crimson-winged woman had a few choice words for herself for dozing off. Thankfully traveling alone had made her a light sleeper, so if something had tried to sneak up on her she would've been more than ready.

The human that had been brought along with her was still sound asleep, something she didn't expect to change anytime soon. Leaving him here and going on about her business was more than tempting, but curiosity had already sunk its obnoxious fangs into her. Who was he? Why was he summoned? Was he someone to fear? What's the significance of the portal appearing in a Vastayan temple? Once Xayah got her answers she wouldn't bother looking back.

In spite of her prediction, the unconscious man began to stir. He groaned as he sat up, rubbing his temples as if he had a headache. Xayah watched as he took in his surroundings, his gaze seemed to slowly evaluate everything.

"Water," was the first thing he said when his crimson eyes made contact with her own.

Xayah responded by tossing the flask she had stolen earlier at him. The man shrugged before he drank, coughing when cold water went down his throat.

The man gave the Vastayan a look that can only be described as an expression of betrayal.

"What happened to the liquor?!"

"I dumped it," she replied plainly.

"Why?!"

"Didn't you just ask for water?"

It had pained her to do so, but Xayah had indeed replaced the alcohol with simple water during the night. She figured that one of them would need some, and as always, her hunch was correct.

"And here I thought I had woken up in the afterlife with a beautiful angel watching over me," the human remarked sarcastically.

The Vestayan simply rolled her eyes at what she figured was somewhat of a compliment. She took note of the fact that he wasn't hostile, so things were off to a good start.

"Turns out that I made it to Hell after all, and what I thought was an angel is actually a harpy," the man continued from his previous statement.

That caused a devilish smirk to appear on Xayah's lips, "I can make your life a living Hell, human. If that's what you're looking for that is."

His facial expression soon matched hers, "what makes you think it isn't already?"

"Fair point."

They remained in a staring contest for a few moments, not a single thing getting between them or a single syllable uttered. Xayah wanted her answers, but was unsure of the best way to get them. Well, the best way to get them where the end result had them both walking away.

A sigh from the human broke the silence as he began to speak once more. "I guess it can't be helped," he said as he stood up and reached for his back pocket.

Every muscle in Xayah's body tensed, winding up like a cat that's about to pounce. She had forgotten to conduct another search for weapons, and she naturally thought about the worst outcome.

However, instead of pulling out a weapon of some sort, the man brought forth another flask that was identical to the one filled with water. He took a swig and soon a smile was on his face.

"It's the simple things in life," he beamed.

 _There's no way,_ Xayah thought before she swiped the container out of his hands and took a swig of her own.

It was the exact same alcohol.

The sun wasn't even up yet and this guy was drinking. Speaking of, the look of betrayal that he had before was back. A comical look that almost made Xayah of all people snicker.

"Don't look at me like that," she said flatly as she put the flask in a pouch she wore at her waist. "I saved your life, this is the least you owe me."

"That flask is basically my life, so as far as I'm concerned you just committed murder," he took a second to think, "or at least abduction."

 _Does he always have a response?_

Whether or not he was being serious about alcohol being his life, Xayah couldn't tell. However, she seriously didn't have any intention to return his flask. She already lost out on one container when she replaced it with water, she wouldn't miss out on another.

"Are you seriously not going to give it back?" he asked as if reading her mind.

"That depends on whether or not you give me what I want."

He seemed to think about that for a moment, "and what exactly do you want?"

"Answers."

Everything was silent for a moment, neither party even bothered to take note of the sun that was beginning to rise.

"Okay, shoot," the man finally replied.

"Where did that portal lead to?"

"Umbra."

"Where?"

"The continent of Umbra."

Xayah stopped for a moment, running the continents of Runeterra through her mind. Never once had she heard of 'Umbra'. Either he was being serious, or he was making the mistake of playing games. Nevertheless, she decided to move on to her next question.

"Who are you?"

"Qrow," he replied quickly and easily. No doubt it was his name.

"Were you summoned through the portal?"

"No."

"How are the Vestaya connected to the portal?"

Now it was the human's turn to ask a question, "the what?"

"Don't play dumb, you weren't surprised when you saw me. You know what Vestaya are."

"I've only heard you referred to as Faunus my entire life," he defended, "and I don't know how or if they are specifically connected."

Xayah once again evaluated his words, searching for any hint that he was lying. He'd have to be really good if this was a bluff. Her acute hearing thanks to her animal-like ears would've sensed any hitch or difference in his voice. His crimson irises never wavered from her stern gaze.

Faunus wasn't a term she was familiar with, but she also wasn't entirely familiar with humans in general. She had been in Ionia most of her life and had yet to explore the other continents completely. It's possible that wherever this human came from had coined a different term. She had to admit though, it sounded better than freak or sub-human.

Silence returned as the sun continued its climb and a soft breeze flowed gently throughout the forest. The sounds of the previous night were being replaced one by one by those of a new day.

The man now known as 'Qrow' ran a hand through his messy black hair before he spoke, "so, is it time for my shot at 21 questions?"

"No," Xayah answered flatly as she looked in another direction.

"Why? It's only fai-" he half-protested before cutting his sentence short. "Oh, I get it. You're going to leave me here."

The pointy ears on Xayah's head stiffened up slightly at how quick Qrow had figured her out. It wasn't like she was trying to hide it, but she also wasn't making it apparent either. He was smarter than most, or just more observant.

"At least tell me where I am so I'm not completely lost," he reasoned.

"Ionia," was the simple answer.

"Where?" he asked, using the same amount of confusion Xayah had when she asked about Umbra.

"The continent slash island named Ionia," she said again, making eye contact once more.

"Never heard of it," Qrow shook his head slowly, "where is it on the map in relation to the other continents of Remnant?"

 _Remnant?_

"Surely you're not that stupid, it's in the top right of all the maps of Runeterra," Xayah replied, almost exasperated.

"Oh shit," Qrow came to a realization out loud, "I'm not on Remnant am I?"


	2. Chapter 2 - Tevasa Mountain

**Chapter 2: Tevasa Mountain**

The sound of rushing water was almost deafening as Qrow got to work cleaning his wounds. While trekking through the forest earlier, Xayah had found a river that split the line of trees directly down the middle. They refilled on water there and the huntsman didn't need a mirror to know he probably looked like hell. Not knowing when the next opportunity would present itself, he thought it best to take the chance to bathe now.

His feathered companion waited for him within the dense line of trees, adamantly turning down an invitation to join him. Well, as adamant as a scoff, a death glare, and instantly walking away was. Not that he had expected a different response, knowing the answer was the reason the huntsman had asked. Although, he'd have to make sure not to push her too far, the last thing he wanted was to be left alone in the middle of nowhere.

It was a good thing he had let the remark about Faunus slip when she was interrogating him, that was probably the only reason she allowed him to travel with her. Hearing that there was a group of people from a different planet if not world, that had qualities similar to her own made Xayah's interest visibly perk up ever so slightly. She hadn't exactly invited the huntsman to follow her, but she mentioned that there was a village located on a mountain nearby. Then it felt as if she was waiting for him to be ready to depart, and when Qrow followed her, she didn't say anything except finally give her name.

The river they were currently visiting had taken about an hour or two to reach, and by now the sun was shining down exuberantly. The giant burning ball made its climb to the heavens every single day, and no matter where you were, it never failed to reach its destination. If it were a person it would have quite the tenacity. Although, Qrow couldn't help but wonder if his new traveling companion would give even the sun a run for its money when it came to determination. The Vestayan seemed quite stubborn about a few things, namely, smiling.

Sure, Qrow had only known her for a handful of hours, but she already struck him as the type who would go out of their way to avoid having fun. Either that, or their definition of fun was quite questionable. It also didn't help that she seemed to be brooding over something constantly, especially when she would stare at him. There was a degree of suspicion in her golden eyes, and the huntsman had made note of all of the times she tried to stare at him surreptitiously.

It was subtle, and she was really good about averting her eyes any time he even thought of looking back. However, you didn't spend as much time in the field as Qrow did without picking up on the smallest of gestures. Sometimes noticing the tiniest movement meant you got to live another day, especially when you were around the creatures of Grimm. Even he had to admit though, she seemed to be quite experienced herself, just how experienced would remain to be seen.

Knowing that the person in question wouldn't be looking any time soon, Qrow took the opportunity to take to the skies. He willed his body into his avian form before beginning to ascend with great speed to get a better view of the area. The forest around them wasn't too large, but it'd still take a while for them to be free of it. There was a mountain pass nearby in one direction, and a large lake in the other. There was something about this place, Ionia, that made every portion of the landscape look almost like a painting. It was as if nature itself was trying to create one stunning set piece.

After he became satisfied with his quick scouting, the huntsman decided to spy on the woman he was traveling with. It took some work, but he eventually found her hiding in between several tree branches of an apple tree. She was very adept at concealing herself, and he probably would've missed her had he not known what to look for.

Carefully landing on a branch a few feet across from her, Qrow observed Xayah for a moment. Her face held no emotion as she seemed to absentmindedly preen the feathers on her wing. It only took seconds before she halted her task and instead stared directly back at him. Normally he wouldn't have minded, lots of people had seen his avian form. However, there was something different about this case.

It didn't feel like Xayah was staring at him as much as it felt like she was staring _into_ him. That was a feeling he got only from people who knew about his shape-shifting ability. It was also a feeling he wasn't a fan of.

Soon the 'Vastayan', as she said she was called, began to carefully outstretch her arm toward him. It was hard to believe that she didn't know that _something_ was off about the bird in front of her, and for once Qrow found himself thankful for the semblance that normally haunted him. Just before Xayah could touch him, a ripe apple fell from a few branches above them and struck her in the head. The distraction was enough for the huntsman to be able to take flight once more and he returned to the river where he quickly got dressed.

Picking up his sword that was reluctantly handed back to him, he headed to the location where Xayah would be waiting. It was a short walk, and when he arrived he noticed that she was leaning against a tree instead of being perched in one. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of leaves in such a way that made her face glow, serving as a reminder of how attractive she was. If the crimson-winged woman had even the ghost of a smile on her lips, she'd have a look almost as deadly as her feathers.

It probably went without saying that back on Remnant, Qrow wasn't particularly a fan of the way the Faunus were treated. Growing up in the tribe with his sister, they never thought much of the difference in races. Even if the tribe's intentions were shady, if you were powerful enough to prove you deserved to be there, you deserved to be there, looks be damned. The nomadic group had equality, and many independent communities that managed to survive were also like that. It was the kingdoms that drew lines in the sand and questioned anything different than themselves.

To the raven-haired huntsman, attractive was attractive, no matter what you were. That was his equality. Even though Xayah was similar to the Faunus he was familiar with, he had to admit that she was quite different as well. Most Faunus tended to share qualities with only one animal, and one animal only. Those qualities would usually be small like something as simple as ears or a tail. Athough, he had seen his fair share of people who had much more larger similarities to their animal counterparts.

The woman in front of him had a body similar to most female humans. Two hands, two legs, one head, and fantastic curves. You know, the usual. However, unlike most Faunus, Xayah seemed to share traits with possibly several different animals and maybe some that were only native to this world she called 'Runeterra'. From her thighs and below she wore black bindings that could possibly be natural and ended with talons instead of human feet. Her ears looked to be much higher on her head than most humans, and they were the same shade of color as her almost maroon hair. That's not to mention that they resembled feline ears except they were a bit taller than usual ones, they also had more of a cone shape to them opposed to sharp triangles.

When she spoke Qrow had taken note of the two fangs on the top and on the bottom of her mouth, and they looked about as sharp as her black nails. Most obvious of all though, was the large, singular wing on her back. The huntsman had yet to see her fly, but he was certain she couldn't. One wing alone might lift you off of the ground for a very short time, but without the second one you wouldn't be able to stay up for long or even direct yourself.

The similarities and differences didn't stop at her features, Xayah's clothing proved to be quite unique. She wore what resembled a tight fitting cocktail dress that was made asymmetrical due to a slit that exposed her left thigh. The huntsman surmised that the slit was so she could move her legs in a much larger range of movement since a skirt alone could limit how far apart your legs could be. (He had some personal experience.) Gauntlets that kept her fingers exposed and matched the shade of red mixed with purple of her dress were present on the Vastayan's wrists, and to top it off she wore a short blue cloak with a hood that wrapped around the base of her ears and shoulders.

An apple flying toward him at an almost threatening speed let Qrow know that he had been caught staring. If that wasn't enough, the look that Xayah gave him had a blatant 'I'm watching you' feeling to it as she took a bite from an apple of her own. Qrow had easily caught the colorful fruit, and he noticed it was the same one that had hit his companion in the head earlier. That fact alone made him seriously wonder if appearing in his bird form had been a horrendous idea. It had been extremely careless of him, but at the same time, the bold maneuver wasn't something new.

Whether or not she knew his secret would remain unknown, as no more words were shared while the pair continued onward toward their destination. Earlier in the morning Xayah had mentioned that the mountain village would be a two day walk from their current location. Had Qrow been on his own, he knew that the amount of time to get there would've been shortened significantly by his bird form. Not that he minded walking such a far distance, but that meant two days of thinking to himself as it was clear his companion wasn't one to speak very much.

Nightfall was quick to arrive, and it had been quite some time since the two travelers had exited the forest they had awoken in. Of course, in Ionia flat areas were few and far between, and it wasn't long before they had entered another large patch of trees. Not that there were any complaints to be had, trees offered lots of cover, and they offered homes for edible woodland creatures.

Xayah took it upon herself to go hunting again, and Qrow took the opportunity to get a fire started. They still hadn't spoken since the morning, and that irritated him for one huge reason. The crimson-winged Vastayan still had his liquor. Too much time had passed since the last time he was this sober, and to say it was an awful experience would be nothing short of an understatement. If it weren't for the fact that he was more focused on his unfamiliar surroundings, he knew unpleasant thoughts would've begun to surface by this point.

A few minutes after flames came to life, Xayah appeared with a pair of rabbits. The huntsman had noticed the burnt one that had been left out in the morning, so he began to wonder if she really liked the tastes of those things. Either that, or it was all she could catch if she was having them two nights in a row.

He watched as Xayah sat down and got to work skinning the furry animals with a feather. Her dexterity was displayed as the task was completed with a certain finesse to it. It was done quickly and flawlessly, well almost until she uncharacteristically nicked her finger with the end of the sharp quill. She inhaled sharply, unable to contain her own surprise, and Qrow couldn't help but feel that the slight injury was his fault. Well, less his and more his semblance's.

The huntsman cleared his throat, "you alright?"

No response.

He tried again, "need some help?"

"So you can hold it over me later on?" she shot back as she plucked a feather from her wing and wrapped it around her injured finger, "No thanks."

The raven-haired man was taken aback by that, the bitterness in her tone was as unexpected as the response itself. It took him a second to regain his composure, "do I seem that petty?"

She must've met her conversation quota with that remark alone, because she chose to remain silent once more. Her expression hadn't changed during the quick exchange, and now it felt as if it hadn't taken place to begin with.

Figuring there was no point in even trying, Qrow laid down and crushed the slightly wet grass around him. He'd wait for dinner and then go to sleep, then they'd walk until nightfall once more and just barely make it to the village before the moon fully rises. What he'd do after, he was unsure of, but hopefully there would be some clues that would lead back home. It was a simple plan on paper, one that would probably end up far more complicated than anyone could ever imagine.

"Tell me more about the Faunus," Qrow heard the woman across from him say.

Despite the soft and even tone, it was clearly less of a request and more of a command. For a second the swordsman thought he might have imagined it. His companion hadn't exactly been talkative before, so why would she be now? However, he quickly remembered that the only reason she was even sitting across from him was because he had mentioned Faunus earlier.

"Well, I don't think there really is too much to say," he began, voicing his earlier thoughts in the forest, "like you, they look like humans except they share certain features with animals. Some have different ears, others have some kind of tail. These features aren't limited to those two areas, but they tend to be the ones you see the most."

She seemed to consider it for a moment, but that was hard to tell as she seemed far more focused on making sure the meat didn't burn this time. Her golden eyes hadn't moved from the rabbits in front of her.

"How many are left?" she asked.

 _How many are left?_ The way the question was phrased was far too specific.

"Hard to say," that caused her to shift her gaze toward him and Qrow couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable. His intuition told him to choose the way he phrased his next sentence carefully. "Depending on where in Remnant you reside, you may see more or less of them. If I had to guess I'd say that there are probably just as many Faunus as there are humans if not just a little less."

As quickly as they had shifted to focus on him, Xayah's eyes darted back to the food she was preparing, not saying another word. Her expression was indiscernible, leaving Qrow in an uncomfortable position once again. He was now beginning to get curious about the Vastayan race, but he felt it inappropriate to ask. Reason being is how she asked how many Faunus lived in Remnant.

 _How many are left?_ The question echoed in the huntsman's mind. There was something presumptuous about it, like the answer was supposed to be a very low number. However, it could also be the expectation of something happening to them and only leaving a certain amount standing. This alone lead Qrow to believe that there probably weren't very many Vastaya alive. It could definitely be a leap in logic, but there was nothing else to go off of.

"How did they come to be?" Xayah broke the silence once more.

"The Faunus?"

A curt nod.

"I can't answer that one for sure either," Qrow admitted, "as far as I know they have always been on Remnant. Since the dawn of time itself."

After a few more seconds of silence, another unexpected question was asked, "Would you take me to them?"

"That depends," the huntsman replied quickly, not wanting to miss this opportunity, "what do I get out of it?"

"I'll help you, it's obvious you don't know a single thing about this place."

Qrow pretended to think about it for a moment, but he already intended to say yes the second the question was asked. There was much to consider, however, everything lead back to him not having much choice. Immediately he was concerned about how his semblance could adversely affect a traveling companion. It was already starting to present itself in different ways, from something as harmless as an apple falling, to something as bad as making someone cut themselves. Not only that, but it was important to be wary about allowing someone from another world to just walk into Remnant, but again, he didn't really have much of an option. It was either that or be forced to start from scratch.

Normally, starting from nothing wouldn't be too bad. Hell, that's how things were before he joined Beacon so many years ago. He could find a job as a mercenary, or see how prevalent bounty hunting was. If you had a sword and experience, you were already leagues ahead of many others. Problem was, when he found the portal to Runeterra he was on a mission of Ozpin. If a doorway to another world wasn't time sensitive information, then what was? It didn't help that the doorway in question was behind enemy lines.

"Okay, but on one… no, two conditions." Qrow held up two fingers to make himself clear.

"Shoot."

"Give me my-" before he finished his sentence the flask he normally carried in his back pocket was in the palm of his right hand.

 _Damn, am I that predictable?_ He asked himself before taking a drink. A grimace was on his face when he noticed the container was already half empty.

"And the second one?" Xayah asked while handing Qrow a skewer that had an assortment of rabbit meat on it.

The raven-haired man took a bite before answering. He wasn't a fan of the taste, but he didn't completely hate it either. With some salt it would probably be rather pleasant.

"Talk more," he said plainly which seemed to slightly surprise the woman across from him. Feeling like he now needed a reason, he gave one, "I'm getting sick of hearing myself think."

That made the Vastayan bite the bottom of her lip pensively. It was the first time since they had met that she had shown any real emotion. If nothing else, that was was at least a start.

"No promises," she finally answered in a neutral tone before continuing in a more sinister one, "but if you're lying to me about all this, I'll rip your tongue out and make you watch as I feed it to wolves. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," the huntsman replied easily.

Dinner went by with only the sounds of the creatures of the night to fill their ears. The air was nice and brisk, not so chilly that a blanket was necessary, but not so warm that a second layer of clothing was too much. After the meal was finished, they both laid down on opposite sides of the fire.

Qrow interlocked his fingers behind his head as his gaze wandered to the stars above. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Xayah using her colorful wing as a blanket to cover her body, now it made sense why she traveled so lightly. She was resourceful and believed in her abilities to be able to provide any necessities for herself. It was an admirable skill, and one that took years of experience to learn.

"Huh, it's whole," Qrow thought out loud as he stared at the full moon looming above.

"Hmm?" his companion hummed.

"The moon,* he clarified. When he didn't get a response he continued, "on Remnant, it's missing a piece that has been shattered into smaller pieces. Depending on its cycle it can look whole, but in reality it's not."

"Odd," was her simple reply.

The rest of the night was uneventful, and there were no more words shared save for deciding the watch schedule. Xayah volunteered to take first watch, leaving the second shift for the huntsman. Before the tendrils of sleep could grip him, Qrow couldn't help but think about how nice a Grimm-less world was. Every night before this one was spent on edge thanks to knowing that any campsite or village could be overrun at the drop of a hat. There was no doubt that this world had its perils as well, but one less overbearing one was appreciated.

* * *

Both watch shifts passed without a hitch. There were a few times Qrow double checked to make sure the sound of a twig snapping or a bush rustling wasn't an undesirable visitor, but other than that, things were all clear. Leaning against a sturdy tree, the huntsman examined the sky. The lack of sun and the hue of color indicated that it was just before dawn. This was around the time he usually woke up while in the field, and it was good to know his circadian clock remained the same even in a new world.

Taking a drink from his now almost empty flask, Qrow moved back toward the campsite and noticed that his companion was still asleep. Deciding to let her rest a bit longer, he gathered a few dead branches that were laying around and rekindled the fire. While he fulfilled this task he picked an assortment of berries from bushes nearby, and then he reheated any leftover rabbit meat. Making a decent meal without any cooking equipment or even ingredients was an inconvenience that Qrow made a mental note of to ameliorate when they arrived at the village. It would mean more to carry, but that was a better problem than having to forage for everything constantly.

Xayah still hadn't moved an inch by the time breakfast was prepared, and while he would've preferred to leave her alone, Qrow knew that they would have to start moving soon if they wanted to make it to the village by nightfall. Hesitantly he put a hand on the Vastayan's shoulder to rouse her, but the second his fingers made contact, all he saw was a flash of red and purple. In less than a second, the huntsman was flat on his back with a knee pressed against his chest and a dangerous feather hovering centimeters over his neck. Two golden orbs enshrouded by anger bore down at him, threatening to pierce his skull.

"Good morning," he greeted calmly, even going as far as to have a slight smirk on his face.

Their eyes remained locked for a couple of minutes that felt like a couple of hours, with neither party backing down. Xayah's gaze softened back to a neutral state, and soon the pressure from the knee on his chest subsided as she got up, heading toward the fire.

"I'll make sure to poke you with a very long stick next time," Qrow deadpanned as he stood up and brushed himself off.

"I've hit roosters a quarter-mile away in my sleep," she stated matter-of-factly, already eating her breakfast.

"Fine, I won't wake you up next time," he smiled as he sat across from her.

"I was already awake."

"Since when?"

"Probably a little before you ended your shift."

"Why didn't you get up? I thought you wanted to help me get back to Remnant as quick as possible?"

"I didn't want to find breakfast," Xayah stated, the corner of her lip tugging just slightly upward into a smirk.

 _Not quite a smile, but I'll take it,_ Qrow thought to himself as he took a bite from his meal. _If things just stay like this, then traveling with her won't be so bad._

"To clarify, I never said I wanted to help you get back home, I said I wanted to meet the Faunus you've told me about," the Vastayan explained. "Helping you is just a side effect."

 _Brutally honest, got it._

Breakfast was finished quickly and soon the pair of travelers were once again headed for Tevasa Mountain. Now that they were getting closer to signs of civilization they took the main dirt path laid out by many travelers before them. It lacked cover, but it was a straight shot to their destination and it meant avoiding having to trek through more forests.

The path itself had been cleared well, and it was worn down with all the use it had seen over many years. It wasn't too long before they ran into other travelers, and Qrow made sure to exchange respectful greetings as they passed. Xayah remained reserved while keeping a safe distance from other humans. It didn't take a genius to see that the Vastayan had an aversion to other members of the huntsman's race. Not that it was too much of a surprise, especially coming from Remnant.

As what felt like an event that was steadily becoming tradition, not much was said as they followed the dirt path. Sometimes Qrow would ask about the distance and time remaining, but other than that, things remained quiet. It wasn't as bad this time around when compared to the previous day though. The air around them no longer felt as stiff, and the raven-haired swordsman felt as if he could be a little more lax. This was a stark contrast from the feeling of walking on eggshells before.

As planned, when the sun began to sink below the horizon, the mountain village came into view. The Tevasa Mountain itself wasn't too tall, and the peak looked relatively flat. A natural path spiraled up the landmark, its large width was more than enough for the village built on top of it.

"Here," Xayah spoke up as she handed Qrow a small pouch that had some weight to it. She waited until the huntsmen checked the contents that clinked inside of it before continuing, "there should be one-hundred gold in there. It's the currency the humans use here."

"Uhh, than-"

"Don't," she cut him off, "it was never my money to begin with."

Qrow shrugged as he stared down at the gold pieces once again before closing the bag and awkwardly tying it to one of the belt loops of his dress pants. He never thought he'd ever appreciate how simple it was to carry Lien around in a wallet, but here he was, doing just that. While finding a place to store the new currency, he took note of the state of his clothing. There were several rips and tears where he had gotten attacked by Grimm just before showing up on Runeterra. It wasn't too bad, but things could definitely look better.

 _Another priority added to the list,_ he mused.

The sun continued its descent, and as the pair got closer to their destination, lights became easier to make out. Most stayed near the base of the mountain where the village was located, while a few stray ones wound up the path. The layout wasn't too different from most villages that cropped up around Remnant. There weren't any main walls that provided protection, but with their backs to a mountain, and forests nearby, it would probably be unnecessary. Points of interest like shops stood out by simply being bigger than homes, and some were made of sturdier material than wood.

Running into other travelers also became more frequent as they neared civilization, and immediately Qrow noticed another similarity. The people in this village dressed akin to those that once lived in Kuroyuri, before it was tragically destroyed. However, there were plenty of others not dressed in that fashion as a plethora of different cultures were shown off. That and the high amount of traffic when compared to the size of the village lead the huntsman to believe there was some sort of event going on.

After taking in a few more sights and sounds of those around them, the pair of travelers headed for the large inn located between an armorsmith shop and what looked to be a general store. Its architecture was as common as public logging could be. It was two stories high, with the front door leading to a tavern area that was quite spacious and was lit by several oil lanterns.

All eyes fell on Qrow as he pushed the door aside and entered with Xayah close behind. No single pair of eyes felt hostile, and soon all patrons were back to their previous conversations. No longer a point of interest, the huntsman nonchalantly strode up to the bar area and spoke with the barkeep. He was a bald man who looked to be somewhere in his later forties or early fifties. His attitude made him seem warm and approachable, but his muscle mass suggested that he was as likely to throw you out on your ass as he was to give you a handshake.

"Two rooms, and a bottle off the shelves behind you that's worth fifteen gold," Qrow ordered in an even tone, one that worked to betray the fact that under his circumstances, most would be out of their element.

The barkeep nodded and turned to fetch a bottle near the top shelf. A sign that the huntsman was happy to see as it confirmed he had accurately guessed the worth of the kind of money in this world. Not only was he sating his alcoholic desires, but he had been specific about the price to gauge the value of the new currency he was working with.

Setting the bottle of golden-brown liquid in front of the raven-haired man, the barkeep explained that he would only be able to rent one room out. In a few days time the Blossom festival would be happening at the peak of the mountain, and due to that there was an influx of tourists that needed rooms. Qrow simply nodded and at a rate of ten gold a night, he parted with a quarter of the contents in his pouch.

Giving a nod toward Xayah who had opted to sit at a secluded table during the transaction, the huntsman headed down a hall on the first floor that lead to their room. The door opened smoothly once unlocked, and it revealed a room that wasn't quite spartan, but was very close. A wooden desk sat under the only window in the room which was on the far wall, with a twin bed on each side of it. There was an oil lamp on the center of the desk with several candles surrounding it, and the window itself was rectangular in shape with wooden paneling in a criss-cross pattern within the glass.

"How much was that?" Xayah asked while leaning against the doorway as she watched Qrow sit down on a bed and begin to fill his now empty flask with alcohol.

"Fifteen."

"So you spent a fourth of what I gave you," the Vastayan stated before sighing, "I want half of that."

"I thought it wasn't your money to begin with?" Qrow smirked as he shifted his gaze from what he would describe as a paramount task, but by the time he looked, she was already gone.

The raven-haired man shrugged, and capped the bottle after taking a swig to make it exactly half. He then propped his sword against the sturdy desk before laying down completely and shutting his eyes.

Letting out a deep breath, he thought about how nice it was to be sleeping in a room after what felt like forever. Four walls and a roof was always a sight for sore eyes after being in the field, and after being shelterless on Remnant for two weeks and then transporting here, shelter felt twice as welcome.

The sound of someone tapping on glass roused the huntsman from his musings as he opened a crimson eye to glance at the disturbance. A pair of golden irises that were slightly visible from his position made him think it was Xayah, but they were a smidge darker with their eye shape also being a bit too sharp to belong to his traveling companion.

Opting to ignore it the first time as a possible mistake, he closed his eye only to hear the sound repeat itself a few seconds later. With a sigh, Qrow sat up and opened the window to be greeted by a the face of a woman he immediately knew he wouldn't mind seeing more of. She wore a dark cloak that worked to conceal most of her body from anyone around her, but she didn't seem to mind what the huntsman saw as she leaned forward against the windowsill.

Underneath the cloak she wore what looked to be a red and white modified kimono that had gold accents. Red fabric hugged her torso and stopped a little over halfway up her chest showing off a generous amount of cleavage and exposing her shoulders. White fabric extended down her waist and stopped just below her thighs, showing off her creamy white legs.

A pair of black ears on her head that resembled those of a fox, three black marks on each of her cheeks, a bushy white tail that was barely visible from Qrow's position, and those golden irises gave her away as a member of Xayah's race.

 _Note to self, meet as many Vastaya as possible while you're here._

"Xayah traveling with a human? I never thought I'd live to see that day," the woman cooed. Her voice was smooth, mysterious, and alluring at the same time. It was as if she were trying to seduce him while making such a simple observation. That was dangerous.

"What can I say?" Qrow replied coolly, "I'm a pretty special case."

"Oh?" she hummed, "and here I thought you might be all looks."

"Well, I certainly have those too, but I can assure you I am much more than just a pretty face."

"Even in damaged clothes, you catch my eye a lot easier than most men I see around here," she smirked.

"How much can clothes matter if they're going to come off in the end anyway?" the huntsman matched the woman's expression.

"That's an interesting thought," she leaned forward a bit more, exposing a little more skin. "However, there is a tailor in this village that can fix these," the fox-like Vastayan said as she reached out a hand to trace one of the cuts on Qrow's body.

Her fingers never made contact as it was stopped by the sound of the door to the room opening. Crimson and golden eyes alike moved to identify the person that shattered their conversation only to receive a deadly glare in response. Xayah had entered the room balancing a tray of food on one hand, while the other remained threateningly still by her side.

"Xayah," the unknown Vastayan began, her tone far more rigid than the one she used when speaking with Qrow.

"Mu'takl," the crimson-winged woman spat back in a menacing tone that her companion had yet to hear.

The playful atmosphere the room once had was long forgotten as a much more tense one flooded it. Qrow could see the eyes of the woman that stared in through the open window darken as he waited for her response, but it never came. Instead she shifted her gaze back to the huntsman, taking on a slightly less hostile expression.

"There is an old man named Ousuke who lives in the house next to the general store, tell him Ahri sent you and he'll take care of your clothes for free." Her voice was still rigid, and she took one last look at Xayah before dashing off into the darkness brought on by the night.

With that settled, the huntsman returned his sanguine eyes to his companion that still hadn't moved an inch from her spot. After what felt like an eternity, she shut the door and placed the tray of rice, bread, and meat on the desk and laid on her bed, immediately turning to face the wall.

As he shut the window, the smell of the assortment of food reminded Qrow of how hungry the day's journey had made him, causing him to wolf down half of what was on the tray in front of him. He hardly tasted the food, but he knew it was leagues better than eating rabbit and berries for a third night in a row.

"You're not going to eat?" he asked almost in disbelief after drinking from his flask.

"Mu'takl make me lose my appetite," Xayah answered in an exhausted tone.

"Suit yourself," the huntsman replied before laying back down and facing away from his companion.

He laid there awhile, battling the idea of sleep until he heard the soft sound of the springs of a mattress followed by someone chewing food.


	3. Chapter 3 - More Than Meets The Eye

**Disclaimer:** RWBY and League of Legends belong to Rooster Teeth and Riot Games respectively. I do not own the characters or settings used, I'm just a fan that fell in love with a pairing.

 **Chapter 3: More Than Meets The Eye**

The barkeep wiped down the counter for what felt like the millionth time since he opened the inn. He took pride in doing such a mundane task, especially since being able to do such a chore meant that he was still in business. It certainly was the little things in life that kept you going, and sometimes those little things lead to much larger ones. An example of that being his establishment being filled with patrons, so much so that he had to unfortunately turn some away this morning.

Wiping imaginary sweat from his brow, the tall man gazed upon the several denizens enjoying breakfast. Eye contact was made on occasion, and he made sure to flash a warm smile when necessary. It was always nice when the Blossom festival was held somewhere nearby. It meant that both new and old faces would appear at the several tables within the sturdy wooden building. Many hailed from different areas of not only Ionia, but Runeterra as a whole. As the main face people would see, the barkeep made sure to make everyone feel welcome.

He watched as a raven-haired man steadily approached the counter with a Lhotlan Vastayan in tow. The pair of travelers were easy to recognize from the night before as they had made it just in time to claim the last available room. It also helped that Vastaya were rare sights to behold nowadays.

"Hey buddy, I have a quick question," the man began, his voice a bit gruff, "how much would you say that the pillows you have in your rooms cost?"

That was certainly an odd question, and definitely one the the bald man had not heard before. There was nothing special about the pillows he supplied each room with, they were as generic as everything else in there.

"I'd say about two gold each," he heard himself answer, "why do you ask?"

"Sleeping on the ground while traveling is doing a number on my neck," the raven-haired traveler explained while rolling his head around to emphasize his point. "The cushions in that room felt so comfortable I figured they would cost more."

"Perhaps the long days of travel have made you appreciate the simple things you don't always have access to," he replied.

The traveler seemed to think on it for a second before finally nodding his head in agreement. He then turned toward the door and began to make his way out, but he waited for his companion who placed a few gold coins and the key to the room they used on the counter.

"That's for our breakfast," she said simply before following her partner. Just before she was out of earshot, the Vastayan looked over her shoulder to share five more words in the same tone, "it's pinned to the ceiling."

It would be more than apt to say the whole interaction was somewhat bizarre, but when you tended a bar most nights, you got used to these interactions. Shrugging it off, the barkeep collected the coins and counted them in his head. An eyebrow was raised as he realized that there were two coins extra. Normally he would've called them back to return the money, but when he looked up, the pair of travelers were already gone.

Deciding to recall the previous conversation to possibly understand where the extra two gold came from, the bald man became curious. He called over one of his workers to watch the counter before heading down the hall and entering the room that matched the key. Upon opening the door he noticed that one of the beds was indeed missing a pillow. Not a second later he caught a soft white plume gracefully floating down from the ceiling.

The man's eyes followed the path the plume had taken on its way to the floor and in doing so he found the missing cushion. As the Vastayan had said, it was pinned to the ceiling by a feather that matched the ones on her large wing. He reached up to grab it and the feather turned into dust, allowing the pillow to fall flat on the man's face.

The life of an innkeeper was never dull.

* * *

I'm going to miss those two gold pieces," Qrow remarked as he stepped out of the building and into the fresh morning air.

"Maybe you shouldn't challenge my reflexes in the morning," Xayah replied in a flat tone.

"You call it challenging someone's reflexes, the rest of the world calls it waking someone up," the huntsman teased.

"I thought we established that I didn't need, 'waking up'," the Vastayan paused for a moment before continuing, "at the very least you said that you were no longer going to do it."

"I know you're not immune to sarcasm."

"Well throwing things at me is never the best way to get something done."

Qrow smirked, "well you're up aren't you?"

The huntsman watched Xayah roll her golden irises, an expression that he was sure he'd get used to seeing. She seemed to decide to drop the insignificant subject before it carried on any further. Unfortunately for her, her companion had one last comment.

"And as favorable of a position as it may be, having you on top of me again is something I'd like to avoid," he winked.

She didn't even give him the satisfaction of acknowledging the statement, and instead she began to walk toward the general store nearby. The huntsman quickly followed after her with a rueful smile on his face and his hands behind his head. He blocked her path before handing her his pouch of gold.

"My guess is that we're going to be traveling for a while, so I'm going to need you to get me a few things," Qrow stated.

"You think I'm going to run your errands?" Xayah replied, crossing her arms while raising an eyebrow.

"We both want to be out of here as fast as possible, so the more you help, the faster we're back on the road," the huntsman reasoned, "I'll be getting my clothes fixed and that hopefully shouldn't take too long. We'll meet near the entrance to the village when we're done."

The Vastayan eventually nodded and after Qrow listed off what he needed, she entered the store. That left him to visit the home adjacent to it as he had been instructed the night before. On the outside, it didn't look too special, but once inside it was obvious that it was a tailor's shop. Clothes were displayed on mannequins and folded neatly on shelves along with several materials that were for sale. All was silent save for the sound of a bell that was rung when the door opened, and the gentle ticking of a reliable clock that was placed on a wall.

"Give me a moment, I'll be right out," a voice stated from another room.

The huntsman looked around without interest for a few moments, the sound of his shoes meeting the wooden floor was added to the small area. All of the attire on display seemed to follow the same fashion that those native to this village wore. However, each piece was quite unique in its own way. A gold trim here, a floral print there, it was all art in a way.

Footfalls from another pair of shoes caused Qrow to look up in time to see a man enter the room. His hair was completely gray save for a few stray strands that refused to succumb to age. The wrinkles on his face weren't very defined, and he dressed in what most would describe as a dignified manner.

"How may I help you sir?" the man, presumably the tailor, asked in a warm tone. The huntsman could feel blue eyes examining him as he spoke, no doubt paying extra attention to the damage to his clothing.

"Ousuke, right?" Qrow asked to gauge how formal of a tone he should use. After receiving a nod, he continued, "Ahri told me that you could take care of my clothing."

The tailor's placid expression quickly changed to a mixture of confusion, understanding, and sorrow. He didn't respond immediately, taking some time to look at the wooden paneling below his shoes before he nodded once more and turned toward a doorway at the back of the room.

"Please follow me," the warm tone remained, but there was a slight hint of melancholy added to it.

The huntsman followed the tailor without any further comments. All the while, gears turned in his head as he tried to figure out the sudden change in tone and expression. _Is Ahri his daughter? Unlikely, she was clearly some sort of fox Vastaya and he only looks human. His past lover? Maybe, better not mention anything too specific about the conversation I had with her._ As he walked forward he continued to consider the possible connection between this man and the woman that referred him here.

It all came to a halt when he was guided into what looked to be a living room that had several paintings that adorned the walls, a large one among them was of Ahri. She was gazing intently at a white flower that she held in her hands while nine white tails flowed gently behind her. Her attire was identical to the outfit that was visible under her cloak the night before, and she had a cheerful smile on her face. Whoever painted the extraordinary work of art had put in extra effort in making sure her golden eyes were as radiant and lifelike as possible.

"One of the best, don't you think?" the tailor's voice tore Qrow out of his trance. He hadn't noticed the older man leave the room or return with an extra set of clothes bundled in his arms. He could swear he saw a tear in one his blue eyes before it was quickly blinked away.

"I'd say so," the huntsman agreed with the ghost of a smile on his lips. While not being someone who examined art regularly, he could still appreciate the amount of patience and skill it took to create masterpieces.

The tailor handed over the black clothing in his hands, "change into these so I can work on the damaged ones you are wearing."

Qrow headed into a separate room before doing as instructed. The clothing he was given was quite plain, but it fit perfectly. Unfortunately, the pair of pants lacked pockets, so he was forced to simply hold onto his belongings which included his wallet, Scroll, flask, scythe that remained in sword form, and two vials of Dust. He gently slid the vials into the separate belt loops of his pants, before covering them with his shirt. It wasn't until now that he realized how useful such a simple part of clothing could be.

When he re-entered the living room area he found the tailor sitting patiently with several different threads and needles. A pair of spectacles now sat on his nose, and he began his work almost immediately. His display of care and precision was more than enough assurance for Qrow to believe he was in the company of a real professional. After propping his weapon up against a low table, the huntsman took a seat.

"So, tell me about yourself," Ousuke requested after a brief silence.

"Pardon?" the raven-haired swordsman asked, slightly caught off guard.

"Well by the look of your clothes I can see that you're not from around here. Also, these slashes didn't form themselves, so I figured you had a good story."

"I guess I'm just a bit of a lost soul at the moment, traveling to find myself and appreciate what I've taken for granted all my life," Qrow answered easily. It was the same way he would respond to similar inquiries he received on Remnant while he was working in the field. This time there was more literal truth to it though, despite slowly getting accustomed to Runeterra, he still felt quite lost.

"Oh is that so," there was a glint in the older man's eyes, "I must say that I can relate to that feeling all too well. I don't think it's coincidence that I was around your age when I went through the same thing."

 _How old does he think I am?_ The huntsman thought to himself before replying with a simple, "oh?"

Ousuke continued with a smile, "well yes, I think when someone gets closer to reaching mid-life they start really considering their priorities and values. Am I happy with how things are? Are there things left that I want to experience? Could I be happier somewhere else, and for the married, with someone else? These were all questions I know that I had."

Qrow had to admit that he never really considered any of those questions, so in a way, that meant he was perfectly content with how things were right? He mentally scoffed at himself, _did people who were content with how things were drink to forget? For some reason I doubt that._ Perhaps after he was back on Remnant and whenever things slowed down, if they ever did, he'd consider humoring these notions of looking for something better.

He mused for a while longer, but when his focused returned to the present, he realized the man sitting in front of him was waiting for a response.

"Sorry," the swordsman replied sheepishly, "it seems I got lost there for a moment, could you repeat that again?"

The tailor chuckled, "it's quite alright. All I said was that I was out of the specific thread necessary to mend your clothes until just a day ago when a trader arrived. You could call it chance, but it could also be fortune smiling upon you and letting you know you're in the right place."

Qrow grimaced at the word 'fortune' and suddenly he wished that he hadn't asked Ousuke to repeat himself. The irony was never lost on him when he heard that word or any of its synonyms, and as if right on cue, his semblance spoke for itself when the tailor pricked himself with his needle. There was no blood though, and the man simply laughed it off while calling the small tool 'lively'.

With the conversation dying down, Qrow couldn't help but look around the living room once more. It had a wooden floor just like the front room that posed as the store area, and it had several fancy throw rugs decorating it. The huntsman wondered if the tailor had the ability to make those decorations himself, but he couldn't be sure. His clothes sat on a large mahogany table in the middle of the room where Ousuke was mending the fabric. Two neatly organized bookcases sat next to the doorway that lead back into the store, but Qrow's attention eventually returned to the paintings hanging on the walls.

Now that his focus wasn't solely on the portrait of Ahri, he was able to identify the other works of art. There were several set pieces, Tevasa Mountain at sunset, a placid lake surrounded by a forest, and other things of that nature. The paintings that piqued the huntsman's interest were the ones of other people, two in particular. One was of a woman who looked to be in her early twenties if the picture was anything to go off of. She must've been in some sort of flight program as the clothing she wore just screamed aviator. Brunette hair flowed out of her yellow cap that matched her coat, and the brown set of goggles on her head matched her boots. This woman looked like she could be the tailor's daughter, she had a pair of cool-blue eyes that matched the fabric of the pants she wore.

Just like the painting of Ahri, this artist truly captured emotion and seemed to make the pair of eyes come to life with the amount of detail put in. There was some personality thrown in with the beautiful smile the woman had on her face as she gave a mock salute.

The second painting that caught the huntsman's attention was one of a man who looked to be around the same age as the woman. Like her, he also had the family's blue eyes, but he had raven-colored hair instead. His attire didn't say much about him as it was rather plain, a simple baggy white shirt under a black overcoat that matched the color of his pants. The length of his hair was much longer than Qrow's, and the man had grown out his beard.

Eventually his gaze returned to the painting of Ahri, as he tried to figure out more about her as if it were as simple as looking. Each work of art was amazing in its own way, but this portrait of the beautiful Vastayan was easily a cut above the rest. Whoever had put their brush to that canvas had a strong affinity towards that woman.

"How did you meet her?" Ousuke asked, breaking a silence that admittedly felt much longer than it truly was.

"She came to me," Qrow began, "I was simply sitting in the room I rented over at the inn, and then I heard someone tap on my window. At first I thought it was just the wind, or something I imagined, but it happened again shortly after. I checked, and sure enough there she was, standing outside my window."

"Ah," the man simply nodded.

"How do you know her?"

Ousuke didn't respond immediately, when he did he started with a short sigh, "she and my son were lovers, one would say they were made for each other. Not only that, but without knowing, every family in this village owes their lives to her."

 _Everyone here owes their lives to her?_ That was a pretty strong claim, there was clearly more about her than what met the eye. "How's that?" the huntsman voiced his question.

"Well, as most know, there was a lot of carnage during the war between Noxus and Ionia. Stories of villages being ransacked spread like the fires Noxus set ablaze within our natural forests. Everyone was always on edge and especially wary of travelers, sometimes we went as far as denying entry to this village. However, we were never attacked," Ousuke paused for a moment before continuing. "Many attributed it to luck, or their religion smiling down on them, but my family knew better thanks to my eldest daughter." He pointed to the portrait of the woman saluting in aviator gear.

 _War between a nation called Noxus, and Ionia._ Qrow made a mental note as he hummed in acknowledgement to show he was still intently listening.

"At the time she was aspiring to join the Ionian military, they would've gladly taken another person to send to the front lines, but my son, her mother, and I managed to talk her out of it. I truly believe to this day that if she had joined, she would no longer be with this us. However, she was a stubborn one, and she joined the town's guard instead."

Another pause.

"One day she was out scouting, there had been some rumors that the Noxian army was getting closer, and soon we'd have have to take up our own arms. Whether she planned to fight them on her own, or just quell the rumors, I still don't know."

"Do you think she'd actually try to take an army on by herself?" Qrow finally interjected. The prospect was quite naive, but he couldn't help but think of his redheaded niece when he heard it. He remembered when she had asked him to teach her how to wield a scythe when she started at Signal. He had laughed at first, but she continued to ask, no, beg him to teach her. The little pipsqueak had guts, that much was clear, and eventually after a year of begging, he caved.

"With the fire that burns in her heart, I wouldn't doubt it," the man chuckled. "My little Mizuki would move mountains if necessary, although she isn't so little anymore I suppose. After the war ended she joined the Ionian military as she said she would, but I seem to be getting sidetracked." He cleared his throat, "while she was out scouting she saw Ahri, who at the time was dating my son. Naturally, Mizuki wanted to make sure she was safe, so she followed her. In doing so she got her first real taste of bloodshed. Ahri had found a group of Noxian scouts, and using my daughters words, 'she quite literally ripped them apart.'"

"So the scouting party that potentially could have lead to this village's destruction was killed by Ahri before they got too close." Qrow understood.

Ousuke nodded, "not only that, but my daughter was clearly not ready for the bloodshed war would bring, and she fainted on the spot. Ahri found her soon after and carried her all the way back here, and for that I give my eternal gratitude."

"She wasn't ready for blood, but she still eventually joined the military anyway?"

"Well she waited a few years, that portrait was painted the day she was sent off to the capital city. She has grown a lot since then."

The huntsman thought about the story for a bit, and that made him wonder if all Vastaya were capable in combat. Ousuke spoke about his daughter as if she were still clearly alive, and that was a good sign. However, he remembered that he had said 'were' when he spoke about his son and Ahri.

"I assume that painting is of your son?" Qrow indicated toward the portrait of the raven-haired man.

"It is, he was an artist, one that was always improving due to never being happy with his work. The only painting I've seen him be content about is the one of his lover."

"Was?"

Ousuke immediately became somber, the expression of sadness from earlier returned to his face, "he is in a better place now. It has been a few years since he passed, but I still miss him every single day."

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," the huntsman quickly apologized.

"It's fine, he is always in the back of my mind," the skilled tailor admitted, "he was out traveling with Ahri in search of inspiration for his work when it happened. His body contracted a strange disease while they were in the mountains, and the nearest sign of civilization was miles away. Ahri tried to find some sort of cure, but the time she had to do so was far too short."

The man let out a hollow breath, and it seemed like he was done talking, but instead he continued, "I wanted to blame her, I really did."

To say that caught Qrow off guard was a severe understatement, Ousuke seemed like he had one of the kindest souls, and that was with the huntsman only knowing him for a short amount of time. He had such a warm air about him, and hell, the man was mending his torn up clothes for free with probably more skill than the person who made them. Hearing that he had negative thoughts toward someone was something he wasn't expecting, but at the same time, Ousuke was only human like everyone else.

"Why's that?" Qrow finally asked.

"Well, I was beyond heartbroken, so I know I wasn't thinking rationally. Ahri is a part of the Vastaya, and I know that automatically meant she had control over magic. My mind wondered why she wasn't able to make something that would save him, or at least keep him alive long enough to get help. She just hadn't tried hard enough, or something, anything to replace my feelings of grief," he paused. "However, it wasn't until my wife passed away that I truly understood how she had felt in my son's last moments. If I felt helpless at my wife's bedside while depending on doctors to do something, imagine how Ahri must've felt with a connection to magic and still being powerless to save the one she loved."

Unbeknownst to Ousuke, the huntsman didn't have to imagine. He didn't have control over magic, but he did have to watch three people close to him die. Two were literal, while the third was more metaphorical. It never got easier, and memories of those situations still plagued him.

"None of us have seen Ahri in years," the tailor stated, unknowingly helping Qrow peer out of his mental prison, "not too long after my son passed away, she disappeared. On occasion I hear people whispering about seeing a fox-like Vastayan, but that's it. As far as I know, you're the first to have actually spoken with her." Ousuke looked up from his work for the first time since the start of the conversation, "now that I think about it. If your eyes were blue and you let your hair grow, you wouldn't be too far off from what my son looked like."

' _Even in damaged clothes, you catch my eye a lot easier than most men I see around here,'_ Ahri's voice played in the huntsman's mind. _I suppose it's a lot easier to catch someone's eye when you look like someone they loved or still love,_ he mused. He personally didn't see the resemblance between himself and the tailor's son, but that was usually the case between people that looked alike.

"Do you think she mistook me for a chance of your son still being alive?" Qrow asked.

Ousuke chuckled, but there was no humor in it, "no, I think she came to terms long ago with his fate. It is possible that seeing a slight resemblance did make her feel more open to speaking with you, however."

The monotonous sound of a clock ticking dampened the silence that overtook the room after that final statement. Neither the huntsman, nor the tailor, could find a suitable topic to jump to from that point. It wasn't too long after that Ousuke finished his work and handed Qrow back his clothes. They looked as good as the first day he had bought them, and he quickly changed back into them after giving his thanks.

There was an offer for him to stay and enjoy some tea, but the huntsman turned it down, He had already spent a lot of time waiting for his clothes, and there was no doubt that Xayah had been waiting for a while at this point. With her attitude, she probably was none too happy about it, and that made Qrow crack a slight smile..

Picking up his sword and placing it on his lower back, the huntsman gave his thanks once more to the older man before heading to the front door. Over his shoulder, he promised to give Ahri the man's condolences if he managed to see her again. Just as he entered the store portion of the home, the door flew open and five people charged inside. Their attire gave them away as not being from around here as they all wore light leather armor opposed to what seemed to be tradition on Tevasa Mountain. The one at the front of the charge was a male that looked to be in his mid twenties with slick black hair and brown eyes.

Qrow simply stared at the group as they casually surrounded him, his crimson eyes evaluated the situation as it unraveled. They were all around their leader's age, and if body language was anything to go by, they didn't know the first clue when it came to combat. Furthermore, they didn't seem to have any interest in the shop itself, but rather they seemed to have quite a bit of interest in him. The huntsman saw Ousuke cautiously hovering around an area behind the counter, and the tailor was the first to speak.

"Is there something you five needed?" he asked in a standard tone that was all business.

"Sorry sir, we don't need anything, we just wanted to talk to this person here," the leader answered evenly as he pointed at Qrow.

"Yo," the crimson-eyed huntsman replied nonchalantly as rubbed the scruffy hair on his chin.

"You're traveling with a Vastayan aren't you?" the leader asked, unable to contain his excitement.

Qrow shurgged.

"We'll help you capture her if you each get a cut of the money that's made?"

That made the swordsman smirk, were these kids that naive to think someone would sell out the person they were traveling with? How off-base. The way Remnant treated Faunus no longer sounded so bad if people in Runterra still hunted Vastaya like they were animals.

The huntsman extended his hand out with an open palm. Everyone in the little group that had barged in seemed to light up at that, while Ousuke seemed become very uneasy.

"So is that a yes?" the leader asked while outstretching his own hand to complete the deal.

His answer didn't come in the form of a word, but rather the sound of a sickening crack as his body was thrown to the ground. The transition from open palm to fist was so seamless as Qrow delivered a quick uppercut to the man's jaw. Everyone in the shop was rooted in place by shock as the huntsman stuffed his hands back into his pockets and stepped over the man who was writhing in pain.

"Come after us, and a broken jaw will be the least of your worries," was all that was said as he left the building.

* * *

Waiting any amount of time always felt like an eternity, and Xayah was not a very patient person. She counted every second that went by as she leaned against a tree near the entrance to the village. Next to her sat a medium sized pack that contained the supplies Qrow had asked for. None of it was anything too special, rice, bread, dried meat that humans called 'jerky', a small pot to boil water for the rice, canteens with water, and lastly a bedroll that sat on top.

Unknown to most, bartering and haggling was something the winged Vastayan quite enjoyed to do, and she had managed to get all of the supplies for a price she deemed decent. The most expensive item was the pack that held it all. That left her companion with fifty gold which would last him fine if he didn't spend money on ridiculous things like alcohol that was way too expensive. However, if she kept getting half of each bottle, she wouldn't mind too much.

Xayah's attitude toward her traveling companion hadn't changed too much, but she found him somewhat tolerable and that was a lot for her to say about anyone. She was still very wary of him though, and she spent extra energy making sure she was on her guard. He was armed, and probably quite capable. There was just a strange energy that radiated off of him that mixed in with the confidence in each stride he took that made her regard him higher than most.

He kept to himself, and respected the fact that she did the same. If things continued that way, then there shouldn't be any issues between them. Although, Xayah wasn't a fan of the fact that she didn't know how long they would be traveling together or how far they would be going. She was used to doing everything alone, eating, walking, infiltrating, scouting, and sleeping, it was always her decision to make. Now she had to be wary of the needs or wants of someone else, and that could definitely cause some problems.

The Vastayan let out an agitated sigh, she hated being in her own head and overthinking simple things. It was one of the many reasons she hated waiting. She swore that she had been out there for at least fifteen minutes, but the reasonable part of her brain reminded her that it had only been five.

Fortunately, a distraction seemed to materialize itself in the form of a crow that flew overhead. Something in Xayah's mind assured her that it had been the same one she had seen by the river not too long ago. There was just something off about that bird that made her feel uneasy, yet so curious. She followed it with her eyes until it flew out of sight.

"Whatcha lookin' at?" Xayah leapt into the air before turning and flicking one of her feathers in the direction of the voice she had heard.

 _Of course it was him,_ she thought as she landed while glaring at Qrow. It was clear that he had gotten humor out of the whole ordeal as the stupid smirk he loved to wear was present on lips.

"And here I thought you were so excited to head to the capital, but instead I found you day dreaming," he teased while slinging the pack over his shoulder.

Xayah said nothing as she magically recalled the feather that had imbedded itself harmlessly into a tree. It whistled through the air before attaching itself to her right gauntlet for later use.

"Neat trick," Qrow remarked.

"Let's go."


	4. Chapter 4 - Pruning The Tree

**Disclaimer:** RWBY and League of Legends belong to Rooster Teeth and Riot Games respectively. I do not own the characters or settings used, I'm just a fan that fell in love with a pairing.

(Author's note at the end for those interested.)

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Pruning The Tree**

As always, traveling proved to be quite uneventful for Xayah. The sun was already halfway through its trek toward the horizon, and soon she would see it paint the landscape with several shades of orange. Things had stayed quiet for the most part as they walked, but her traveling companion had made sure the silence was broken every now and again. He had asked some pretty unimportant questions about different types of flora and fauna they encountered, and Xayah had answered them quickly.

Now that they had decided to take a break and set up a quick campfire, he asked a more _interesting_ question.

"So what's the story with Noxus?"

The Vastayan could answer this question quickly. As far as she was concerned they were a bunch of warmongering fools that got their asses handed to them on multiple occasions. However, she supposed her companion probably wanted a more educational answer. He was busying himself with making food, so she figured it wouldn't kill her to add more detail.

"All you really need to know about those thickheaded idiots is that they believe in strength above all," Xayah saw that her words made her companion wince slightly, and she paused for a moment to receive a response but continued when he didn't have one. "Their nation is large in size, and that's because they trampled anyone who made the mistake of getting in their way. Of course, when you're the bigger guy kicking the little guys around, people see you in a certain way. So their list of friends is at an unsurprising zero."

"And their list of enemies is a stark contrast of that," Qrow commented.

"Bingo," she confirmed, "the main people that are actively trying to get rid of them is the nation of Demacia. That place is full of stuffy holier-than-thou pricks that claim that loyalty and lawful acts are important above all else."

"So those would be the, 'good guys'," her traveling companion surmised while waiting for the water in front of him to boil.

To Xayah, despite how ignorant it may be, no human was better than the other. They were all stupid stubborn airheads that floundered when it came to the simplest of issues. From the stories her father told her, they didn't seem so bad. Hell, he seemed to be alright with them entirely. However, when she had decided to get some first-hand experience herself, she learned of all the atrocities they committed.

They butchered nature in efforts to try and tame it, a task any Vastaya would know was not only distasteful, but also impossible. Nature was wild and unpredictable, not orderly and malleable. That's what made the idea of it so beautiful, and its creations so majestical.

Not only that, but they weren't as welcoming as she had been told. The second she stepped foot into a human settlement she had to be on alert at all times. If not, she'd be captured and sold, or just straight up murdered. So no matter what they claimed to believe in or fight for, Noxus, Demacia, Ionia, they were all the same. They were all disgusting, inside and out, some were good at hiding it, but she knew their true nature.

"It's done," Qrow stated, pulling Xayah from her inner musings.

She watched as he procured a wooden bowl and spoon from the moderately sized pack he had asked her to buy. He then quickly filled the bowl with rice before handing it to her which made her raise an eyebrow. They had only bought one dish, so that meant he would be waiting for her to finish eating before he could get a chance to eat himself. Either that, or eat out of the scalding hot pot with his hands, which she doubted anyone sane would do.

Whether or not he was doing it to be nice, Xayah didn't really care. She simply took the food and began to eat, a decision she regretted immediately. Not only was it still above a satisfactory temperature, it lacked any kind of flavor to the point where she tasted leftover rice water. Despite all this, she somehow managed to keep a straight face.

"Wow," the Vastayan began, "it's tasteless yet it's still disgusting."

"Is that right?" her companion inquired sardonically without missing a beat. The quick timing of his response made Xayah wonder if he had expected this outcome, "well do you know what does have flavor?"

 _Oh no, here we go again._

"Salt!" Qrow answered his rhetorical question, "and if I recall correctly, the person in charge of buying the salt was…"

Xayah rolled her eyes and began to look away in exasperation, she thought he had given this tirade a rest hours ago, but it seemed like he still hadn't forgotten. So what if one of the things he asked for managed to slip her mind? If he wanted it so badly he would've checked inventory before they had marched four hours away from the village.

"I'm not eating the rest of this," she stated simply before moving to hand the bowl back to him.

"It was you," the huntsman filled in the blank from earlier, "just so we're clear."

Instead of taking the bowl back, Qrow reached into his pack once again and produced a strip of dried meat and placed it on top of the rice. "There, that should make up for any lost flavor."

"You had a solution in mind, but you still chewed me out?" Xayah asked in disbelief.

"Of course," the raven-haired swordsman replied with a smirk, "it's more fun this way."

"I'll never understand your kind," the Vastayan muttered before trying the dish again. To no one's surprise it was edible now, well, at least it had a taste that made someone willing enough to eat it.

After they finished eating, her companion packed up his things and they were back to walking once again. Nightfall was still two or three hours away, and the walk to the capital city of Ionia was not a short one. If they kept moving they'd make it in three days, and so far they had only traveled for a little over a quarter of a day.

The silence that overtook the air between the two for the next hour was mutual. Xayah was left alone to her thoughts, while on occasion, glancing at the human next to her. She still didn't trust him. At any moment he could show that their journey so far was a ruse, something to get her to drop her guard just enough before he could cut her down. Sure they had been in each other's company for a few days, but it was the persistent ones that were the most dangerous.

"How many do you count?" he asked in a hushed tone, but still shattering the silence.

The question alone lacked any sort of context, but Xayah knew exactly what it meant. She had noticed the subtle presence of several pairs of eyes watching and following her. It had put her on edge more than usual, and to see that her companion had felt the same way spoke volumes about his combat experience.

"Five," the Vastayan answered quickly.

"Divide and conquer after we pass the tree with three branches on the right side?" the huntsman proposed.

"Works for me," she shrugged.

And it was done. Both travelers continued to walk forward at a steady pace, making sure to avoid doing anything out of the ordinary. Xayah rolled her neck around to ease any tension that had built up, while she flexed her slim fingers as the designated tree grew closer with each step.

 _Five seconds._

 _Four._

 _Three._

 _Two._

Both the huntsman and the marksman shot off like bullets in opposite directions as they had planned. A wicked grin possessed Xayah's normally impassive face as she heard the sound of movement within the forest following her. Her last skirmish was at the temple she had found her current traveling companion in, and that was far too long ago as far as she was concerned. The rush of battle helped split up the tedium of life, and any chance to hone her skills was welcomed with open arms, and feather daggers.

Xayah had left the ground early on and was now effortlessly bounding from tree branch to tree branch until she landed on one of a suitable height. There she waited patiently, her ears twitching at the soft sound of leaves being disturbed. Not too long after, someone dressed in green ninja garb swiftly appeared directly under the Vastayan's location. Their head moved slowly as they scanned the area around them, looking for any sign of their target.

The ninja's vision would soon be clouded by darkness thanks to Xayah dropping down on them from her perch above.

 _If only you knew._ She mentally chuckled to herself before backflipping over what was probably a kunai. The Vastayan then brought up a feather dagger to catch a sword swing just before it got a little too close to her body. She stared into the cold eyes of a brunette shinobi before moving to sweep the woman's legs out from under her. The shinobi dodged the maneuver with a backflip of her own, but to her dismay she was soon pinned upside to a tree that was directly behind her.

The culprit for her lack of movement was a vibrant purple quill that was identical to the one that had blocked her sword swing. It had caught the extra cloth from the sash the ninja wore around her waist. Xayah saw an attempt to try and remove the feather from her clothing, but she quickly followed it up with several other feathers that pinned the rest of the woman's body to the sturdy tree trunk. The feat was nothing more than a impromptu game of darts for the winged marksman, and soon the brunette joined her unconscious partner.

In what felt like the blink of an eye, the skirmish came to a close. It was a result Xayah had expected and was slightly disappointed about.

 _Maybe I should've taken it a bit easier and let it drag out a bit more? Nah, they may not be as good as me, but if I showed any hesitation they would've exploited it._

"Ninjas," the Vastayan scoffed as she began to drag the bodies toward the tree she and her partner had split off from.

Non-lethal definitely wasn't Xayah's usual style, but the human she traveled with liked to talk. That meant that he probably would want to ask these people questions. Maybe he would be satisfied enough when he heard his voice as he questioned them and that would stop him from talking until they reached the capital.

 _Not likely._

With the excitement over with, the tedium of life returned in full. Xayah continued to drag the unconscious humans along with her until she saw her companion waiting for her. He was leaning against the specified tree, drinking from his flask as per usual. However, the lax nature of his demeanor was missing. She could tell he was on alert, even if his body language didn't give that away.

As the crimson-feathered marksman had predicted, the huntsman had two unconscious bodies lying at his feet. He intended on questioning them after all, and he had used a taut vine to bind them. Xayah expected him to make some comment about how he had taken care of his adversaries faster than her, but the remark never came.

"There is still one left," they stated in unison.

Xayah was taken slightly aback by the vocal interaction, but she quickly recovered. She couldn't tell if they both thought on the same wavelength when it came to combat, or if her companion had just predicted what she was going to say. There was a very slight glint of humor in one of his sanguine irises and that told her it was probably the latter. It made sense, this was their first time doing any combat together so there was no way he could've gotten a read on her right?

 _Ugh, I'm overthinking again_ , she thought to herself while fighting the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose out of annoyance.

Part of her wanted to thank this human for breaking up the tedium of traveling alone, and the other part wanted to make him a pincushion for having to deal with his antics. She would do neither as she pushed any irrelevant thoughts to the back of her mind. There was still one person unaccounted for, and ninjas weren't exactly known for having a grand entrance. They could stand here until nightfall without any other activity. That wouldn't do though, Xayah would just kill the four they had captured and move on.

She viewed having hostages as a cowardly tactic, and most of the time it was more work than it was worth. However, being a one woman rebellion, she understood that underhanded tactics would be necessary for results. Not to mention the fact that she didn't doubt both she and the swordsman could handle whoever was left. Their would-be assailants were well trained, but with her experience she had been able to incapacitate them quickly.

"When they wake up they'll probably try to break free from the vines I used," Qrow pointed out, "they'll probably succeed since I have no doubt they've been trained to evade capture. Hopefully we can figure out why they followed us before they have a chance to escape."

Xayah said nothing, but instead she simply hummed to show acknowledgement.

"Killing isn't really my style," the huntsman continued, "but there really isn't much other option here is there? Can't have them run away and come back with more friends, things are complicated enough as it is."

The sound of a twig snapping nearby alerted both travelers, and it was soon replaced with the sound of steel meeting steel. Xayah watched as Qrow shifted his body to block a projectile aimed for the side of his torso. The projectile itself was a kama, something that was usually a tool for farming. However, it was a tool that could easily be turned into a deadly weapon.

It glanced off of the sword on her companion's back, but before it could hit the ground it was caught in mid-air by a green blur of movement. Then all was silent again as if the event had never happened. Whoever was the fifth person in the party of ninjas was clearly their superior.

No more sounds were made before Xayah's instincts alerted her to jump immediately. She did so without protest and evaded the same kana that had been aimed at Qrow previously. It curved like a boomerang and threatened to catch the Vastayan's leg as gravity took over once more, but grabbing onto a tree branch took away any chance of the weapon connecting.

Xayah tried to catch a glimpse of who the weapons were returning to, but all she saw was the same green blur.

"I don't have time for games," she heard her companion shout into the surrounding trees. "I'll let your friends go free if you show yourself and answer a few questions. No one has to get hurt."

Time stood still as they waited for a response,but the forest remained deathly silent.

"Might as well start killing them now," Xayah suggested, "it's clear whoever is left doesn't care."

The marksman then began circling the tree where all the unconscious bodies were gathered. She readied four feathers in between her fingers as she waited for confirmation from the raven-haired huntsman. If it were up to her, these four would've already been dead. There was never a good reason why people were trying to follow you secretly. However, she didn't want to deal with the argument that would ensue if she killed them outright. Instead she threw her feathers slightly above the unconscious ninjas' heads, followed by embedding several quills into the surrounding trees. Xayah could feel Qrow giving her a questioning look, but she ignored it. If the fifth assailant was going to engage them again, she wanted to be ready.

It wasn't too long before a sign of their attacker appeared again, but unfortunately it was a sign that threw a wrench into the Vastyan's plan. The sound of something popping followed by a sharp hiss filled the previously undisturbed air, and soon a cloud of smoke enveloped both travelers. Xayah's mind immediately raced with possibilities as she covered her mouth

 _Poison? Not likely, it'd kill the others. Will she try to carry them out? No, it'd take too long._ _I could call my feathers back now, but they might miss and he might get hit._

The sound of combat filled the air as steel met steel once again, adding a sense of urgency to the situation. A possible chance of suffocation from the fumes around her was quelled when Xayah began to use her wing to blow away the smoke. She found moderate success as the vapors began to clear, soon revealing Qrow locked in combat with a woman.

The fifth ninja dressed similarly to those in her group with dark green clothing that restricted the least amount of movement. Her fighting style was clearly built on the back of martial arts due to the fact that she used more than just the two kamas in her hands to strike. The agility on display would impress even the most skilled fighters as she converted one maneuver into another in fluid economic motions.

On the receiving end of the assault was Xayah's raven-haired companion. His blade that normally rested on his back had telescoped into the size of a greatsword and he was wielding it effortlessly. He met his assailant's attacks head on, refusing to be overwhelmed by the onslaught of blows. The stern look on his face was the most serious that the Vastayan had seen him since their first conversation. She found some comfort in knowing that he truly was no slouch when it came to battle.

Both combatants used the forest around them for any advantage possible. The ninja launched herself off of trees and converted the momentum into flying kicks. Qrow on the other hand remained steadfast, only moving his position when absolutely necessary. Sometimes a sword swing would go wide and slice through the bark of the surrounding trees like a hot knife through butter. To any spectator it would be a terrifying prospect to be on the receiving end of his strength.

Through his positioning decisions, it was clear that he was trying to create openings for Xayah who had channeled some of her magical energy into her body. Her pace of movement was noticeably increased as she weaved through the forest while propelling her projectiles toward the kama wielder. Frustratingly so, the ninja was able to focus on her opponent while dodging around the incoming feathers. However, the marksman always had a backup plan if things weren't as simple as stabbing her enemies from afar. All she needed was an opening.

Thanks to Qrow working to hold his ground as often as possible, the opportunity Xayah was hoping for was quick to present itself. A diagonally upward sword swing had sent his opponent into a swift backflip before the woman used a tree behind her to launch herself forward once more. She then went for an overhead swing with both of her weapons, but her attempt was immediately rendered null due to a block from the swordsman. He had raised his sword in such a way that made it so his opponent's curved instruments of death were caught on his blade, leaving the woman dangling from the handles of her weapons.

The ninja's response was executed in less than a second as she used her upper body strength to throw herself over her enemy. She landed quickly, and pivoted on her feet in time to see the huntsman be knocked to the ground by his companion. The slight shock was enough of a distraction, and by the time she realized that projectiles that had missed before were barreling down on her, it was too late.

Feathers from around her collectively weakened the ninja's Aura until Xayah's magic caused the deadly plumage to grow in length and wrap around the fifth assailant's body. With loss of control in her arms and legs, the woman clothed in green fell over with a grunt.

"If we keep meeting like this people are going to talk," Xayah heard Qrow say as he stared up at her.

She scoffed as she rolled off of the huntsman and got to her feet, "I don't know how long my magic will last so don't take too long."

Qrow nodded before dusting himself off and retrieving his weapon that had been dropped when he was tackled. They both then headed toward the trapped ninja who was unable to struggle in her situation.

"Alright, we just want some answers," the huntsman began, "give them to us and you go free."

"The idea of death does not persuade me," the bound woman spat back.

Xayah watched as her companion took on an expression of wounded pride as he responded, "death? No one said we'd kill you if you didn't answer."

"You'd be a fool to set me free."

"Well.. yeah, but it wouldn't be the first time I've done something questionable, nor would it be the last," Qrow admitted as he placed his weapon on his back and crossed his arms.

"I'm not telling you anything," the ninja stated bluntly.

"Not even if I set you and your friends free?"

"I'm not one to mince words with either of your kind!"

That statement made the Vastayan spectator's fingers tense up and her temper flare. Not only was it aggravating to just stand and watch the huntsman on a fool's errand, but now she was being insulted. _It's fine if she doesn't want to mince words with 'my kind' now, once I'm done with her, she'll wish she had._

* * *

Qrow watched Xayah rush forward without warning and immediately wrap her hands around the ninja's throat. At first the captured woman didn't react, but soon she began gasping for air. For once, the huntsman was at a loss of what to do. The choice of words on their captive's part had been beyond poor, and interfering at this very moment could make his companion abhor him.

Getting necessary answers was never the prettiest process when dealing with people who were tight lipped. Frankly, Qrow would rather leave that up to someone else, he gained no pleasure from the several tactics he had seen implemented. He'd rather have the person he needed answers from on his side rather than forcefully prying information out of an enemy. There was a clear choice here to show he had no ill will toward the woman they had captured, but that would mean opposing the person who had kept him alive and in the loop up to this point.

It was obvious that his companion wasn't one to give out trust easily, and going against her created a large chance of any faith she had in him being dissolved. However, if he didn't stop this there would be another possibly unnecessary murder on his hands for simply being a bystander. Not only that, but it was likely that they'd be hunted with renewed determination.

No one won in this situation.

"Stop!" a man screamed from a short distance away, "please stop! I'll tell you anything just let Akali go!"

Qrow's sanguine irises shifted toward the source of the unexpected plea. His eyes landed on one of the ninjas he had disarmed and knocked out earlier. The fight had been a bit sloppier than he would've liked and the man ended up with a broken leg and a dislocated arm. His brown hair was matted with sweat, and his facial expression did little to hide his pain.

The huntsman needed no more motivation, he knew what he needed to do.

He quickly closed the distance between himself and the two women before grabbing a hold of Xayah's shoulders and throwing her off of her victim. The huntsman had tried to be gentle about it, but the adrenaline that was pumping due to both the external and internal conflicts from before caused him to use more force than he would've liked. His companion hit the ground hard before sliding into a tree trunk.

Thankfully her Aura was still intact and it took the brunt of the force, but knowing that didn't stop Qrow from rushing over to her to make sure she was alright. He looked over to see that the feather cocoon had unraveled itself, and the once captive woman was now sputtering and gasping for oxygen. The man that had pleaded for his leader's safety had a clear look of relief on his face as he rushed over as best he could to see if he could help his friend.

"Why?" the sound of Xayah's voice was soft and shock was written all over her face as she sat up.

 _Shit,_ was all the huntsman could think as he realized that she did indeed feel betrayed.

"I don't think she meant it the way you took it," he replied, hoping that it would at least make some semblance of sense to the woman he was crouched in front of. When he didn't get a response he tried to explain further, "she said 'either of your kind', so unless she's a third race I don't know of, it doesn't make sense."

The Vastayan said nothing as she got up and began to head into what seemed to be a random direction.

"Where are you going?" Qrow called after her.

"For a walk."

"Are you coming back?"

The huntsman saw his companion's ears visibly perk up for a second as she halted all of her movement. She stood there silently for a moment before turning around to look back at him. He could feel her golden eyes evaluating him as she came to a decision. Time slowed to a painful crawl until finally the winged woman sighed and gave a slight nod before turning around and heading off.

"You idiot!"

Qrow turned around to see the woman who had been referred to as 'Akali' scolding the person who had granted her safety. If he hadn't intervened, the huntsman doubted he would've made a decision in time to stop Xayah from completely crushing the ninja's windpipe.

"The first lesson you had to learn before joining our ranks was to let your emotions go!" Akali shouted, "you've failed that miserably."

"I wasn't just going to let you die," the brown-haired man interjected.

"I made peace with the fact that I may die in this line of work when I was ten years of age," the leader retorted, "whether I live or die is not something you get to choose!"

There was a long pause as they seemed to both be at a loss for words before Akali's fierce brown eyes softened slightly, "but… I suppose I should be saying thank you."

Qrow cut in before the woman's companion could give a response, "I hate to break up this cute display of camaraderie, but I was promised answers."

"Right," the man said, "I'll give them to you."

"Good, I'll start with an easy one then," the huntsman began. "Why were you after us?"

"We have suspicions that you're a part of the Order of the Shadow."

"Well allow me to put your suspicions to rest, I don't even know what the Order of the Shadow is," Qrow stated plainly while crossing his arms.

"We find that highly unlikely," Akali replied for her companion, "our scouts saw you and the Vastayan exit one of the temples they recently occupied."

"Oh, that."

"Yes, that."

"Hate to tell you, but you made an ass out of yourselves by assuming," the raven-haired protector of Remnant replied with a smirk.

"Excuse me?" the leader of the five ninjas furrowed her brow.

"I woke up inside the temple with an awful case of amnesia," Qrow bluffed, "she found me and carried me out. Everyone else in the building was already dead, and I have nothing to go off of besides my personal belongings. I don't even know my name."

"You expect us to believe that?" Akali inquired flatly, "you can keep up with me in combat fairly well for someone who doesn't remember how to fight. Not only that, but The Violent Raven isn't exactly known for her sympathy toward humans."

 _The Violent Raven huh?_

"I hear they say that people with amnesia still retain their previous skills without the knowledge of them," the huntsman replied after drinking from his flask. "That was my first fight since waking up in that damn temple."

The two ninjas exchanged glances for a moment before returning their attention back to the man in front of them. They had no real way of proving that he was lying unless they found someone he had told his name to. Not only that, but during his bouts with both Akali and her two subordinates, he hadn't used any known shadow techniques.

"That still doesn't explain why the Vastayan went to the temple in the first place, or why she carried you out," the wounded male mentioned.

"She also thought I was a part of the group that had occupied the temple, so when I woke up I was immediately bombarded by questions," Qrow explained. "One of the questions she asked had to do with any Vastayan connection to whatever was going on inside the temple. My amnesia meant that I had no answer, and I think she's keeping me around in hopes that I'll have an epiphany."

Bluffing was easily one of the huntsman's strengths, and he had a lot of practice. He could spin stories that sounded fantastical, yet still be one-hundred percent believable. It was almost second nature for him, just like his ability to weave through an interaction without once having to say his name. Perfecting how to become a generic nobody was imperative when searching for information or executing the missions he was sent on. It also helped that there was always things going on in his head that he would rather not share.

"Is there anything else you want to ask?" Akali spoke in an indifferent tone now, one that hid whether or not she believed the swordsman's lies.

Qrow was satisfied with his answers and almost waved them off, but one final question popped up in his mind, "do you know the location of any other temples?"

"Why do you want to know that?"

"Well, maybe if I arrive and enter another one I'll have that epiphany my companion is hoping for. If not, maybe she'll at least find the answers she is looking for. Plus, I could take out some of the people from the Order of the Shadow for you since your party is going to be short staffed due to injuries." He finished his explanation while slightly gesturing toward the man with a broken leg.

"You're foolish if you assume that there are only five of us in the order we belong to," Akali stated.

"So you're not going to tell me if there is one nearby?" Qrow raised an eyebrow.

"There is one east of here, it should only take you a day to reach it," the female leader replied while wrapping an arm around her injured companion to support him. "If you're lying to us, we will know, and we will come for you again."

"Noted," the huntsman responded before whispering something under his breath when they began heading in opposite directions, "really worked out for you this time."

* * *

It had been quite some time since the sun had set, but Xayah continued to ignore all the mundane sights and sounds as she walked aimlessly around the forest. She didn't know where she was going, but it didn't matter to her either way. What did matter to her was the events that had just transpired, the emotions that she had allowed to seep out. It was all so uncharacteristic of her. She hated overthinking simple things, but she just couldn't ignore it anymore.

 _Why was I so surprised?_ the Vastayan asked herself in reference to the feelings of betrayal that had materialized when she had been pried off of the woman she was asphyxiating. It shouldn't have come as an immediate surprise that her human companion had stopped her from killing another human, but it was. Had she unintentionally invested a level of trust within him, and just expected that he would always be on her side? It was all wrong.

 _Why am I relieved? Why am I glad that I was wrong about what she meant and that he had stopped me when he did?_ Despite whatever lie she formed to explain this situation, she knew she felt relieved. She was glad that he hadn't done it because he favored a human life despite a heinous thing that person may have said, but rather simply because she herself had been wrong about the situation.

Going from traveling alone for years to suddenly having someone who was watching your back, whether you admitted it or not, was jarring for Xayah to say the least. It was easy to forget what companionship was like when you simply blocked the idea out with other priorities or excuses. It was also easy to convince yourself that it wasn't necessary. Which, she still believed it wasn't. However, in doing so, she had forgotten just how much a second person could shake things up.

 _Maybe I'll just spend the night on my own and find him in the morning. I told him I'd be back, but I didn't say when. Or maybe I'll just randomly cross paths with his campsite, like I'm doing now. Nice going._

To her displeasure, she had indeed done just that. While deep within her own thoughts she ignored the smell of a campfire nearby, and in doing so she unintentionally had gotten closer to the source. Now she stood at the edge of a small clearing within the trees, and she had no doubt in her mind that the huntsman who was laying down while watching the stars had already noticed her presence.

Biting her lower lip, Xayah reluctantly marched forward before taking her spot on the ground on the opposite side of the fire. She said nothing and hoped to fall asleep quickly as she wrapped her wing around herself. Unfortunately, her raven-haired companion began to talk.

"You don't have to respond," he began, "but I did want to apologize again for what I did earlier."

His words were as sincere as his stern facial expressions that she had seen earlier during combat. It was perhaps even more sincere than when he had been in those situations. There was no jokes, no smirk, no games, just an apology.

"I was able to get a lead from them," he shifted topics, but still didn't move a muscle from his position. "We can talk about it in the morning."

There was something about her companion that had bugged Xayah since the day she had met him, and despite not wanting to say a word, a question slipped out from in between her lips.

"How do you have an Aura?"

"That's an easy one," Qrow replied, he seemed surprised that he had been asked a question, "most fighters on Remnant have Auras. If you go down the path of a huntsman or huntress, which I have, you're taught to unlock it early on."

In asking that question, the Vastayan had hit two birds with one stone. The first was that she had an answer to how her companion had the force field that was essentially the manifestation of his soul. Vastaya had it at birth, their link to the spirit world provided every species with an Aura of their own. There were humans on Runeterra that had the trait as well, but they were few and far between, it usually being reserved for truly important or skilled people.

The second thing she had an answer for thanks to that question was something both terrifying, and slightly comforting. Whether she wholeheartedly trusted him or not was still up in the air, but like it or not, Xayah had consistently done one thing since meeting the huntsman. She believed him.

* * *

 **(A/N):** Hey everyone, A Dusty Old Qrow here, just wanted to give a little insight on some things when it comes to my schedule of posting chapters. Currently there isn't one, and I don't expect there to ever be one. If you've noticed that things have taken a little longer to go live it's because they have. The school semester has started up again, and I have a few hobbies that eat up a good chunk of my free time. Balancing all those plus writing this story makes updates come out a little slower and I apologize for that.

The future updates may come at the same speed if not a little slower, it all depends on what I'm doing that week in real life and all that jazz. I'm really enjoying this story though, and I'm having a lot of fun writing it. I have some ideas in the outline that I'm really excited to execute, and I hope many of you join me on this interesting ride.

Lastly, I want to say thanks to the buddy of mine that edits these chapters and lets me know that the absolute mess I write is coherent. Furthermore, I want to extend a thank you to all of you that have favorited, followed, and dropped a review. Feedback makes me smile, and that goes for critique and kind words.

I don't plan on doing author's notes regularly. I don't know why, but I kind of want to be detached to this story in terms me as a person.

That's all I wanted to share, enjoy the chapters to come.


	5. Chapter 5 - Introspection

**Chapter** **5: Introspection**

"So, about the Faunus," Qrow began, seemingly out of the blue.

The previous night had been far too short, and the morning even shorter. Xayah's mind still pondered on previous questions despite her discomfort, and the silence that had been shared between the two hadn't helped in the slightest. Breakfast had been quick and plain, just like the trek to their new destination up until this point.

Is this it? Is this where he admits to making it all up? Is this where I realize that I've been made a fool? The Vastayan almost found it appropriate to laugh disdainfully at the ridiculous thoughts that circulated throughout her mind. She had made her bed when she decided to pick up the unconscious human, and now she was sleeping in it.

Despite any mental gymnastics that went on behind her impassive expression, logic always prevailed, and there were many undeniable facts about this situation. The swordsman had come through a portal, and she had seen it with her own two eyes. She had killed something that she had never encountered before, and it was a monster that took away all energy rather than create it. Her companion seemed clueless about the only world that she had come to know, yet he was quite knowledgeable when it came to the place he claimed to have come from. Not only that, but he definitely wasn't helpless. Most important of all though, she was still alive.

"What about them?" Xayah replied after a short while.

"When I told you about them, I left out some… details," he paused for a moment before continuing, "details that at the time I figured were probably best left out due to any potential backlash I could receive for them. Now that I know a little more about how things are between Vastaya and humans, I can see that I had made the right call."

The winged-marksman wasn't surprised that there had been way more to the people he claimed she shared traits with. In fact, she'd be quite disappointed if all he had to say was that they existed alongside humans. They were an entire race, there was always more than just what they did and didn't resemble. If all he truly knew about them was what they looked like, then it'd show that he didn't actually know anything about them.

She had already expected the relationship between humans and Faunus to be identical if not very close to the relationship her people had with the huntsman's race. If this vast world could hold prejudice, racism, and hate, why couldn't another? However, Qrow had said that there were about as many Faunus as there were humans alive on Remnant. That was a complete contrast to the population levels on Runeterra.

"And what do you know about how things are between our races?" the Vastayan asked as they passed under yet another apple tree. Inattentively, she flicked two feathers upward and severed the stems of the fruit before catching one in each hand. Xayah then offered to share her pickings with her companion, who took one with a look of disinterest.

She took a bite from the sweet snack as she surreptitiously watched the huntsman roll the shiny, red gift of nature in the palm of his hand. He was clearly choosing his words carefully, possibly for fear of upsetting her. As to the exact reason why he cared that much, she couldn't tell. The obvious reason would be that her companion was afraid of being abandoned, lost in an unfamiliar place. It made sense, and it was probably true, but that probably wasn't the whole truth. If there was anything she had learned in the short time traveling with him, Qrow didn't have a one-track mind.

He wouldn't have made it this far if he didn't step back and evaluate several outcomes. She was certain of this because it's how she had made it this far on her own. Every decision she made was with purpose and meticulous planning. If she had allowed herself to become complacent and simple-minded, her connection to the living would've been severed long ago.

That aside, the huntsman now knew at least how to get back to Tevasa Mountain. If he had really wanted to, he could've gathered information from the locals and left her behind. Yet he was still here, walking next to her, eyeballing a fruit as if it would tell him the proper phrasing for whatever he wanted to say if he just stared long enough. Coincidentally, she was doing the exact same thing.

"Well, for one," he broke the long pause, "I know it's a situation where one side views the other as lesser. If not lesser, than as something that is to be feared and driven away."

"Oh, and what brought you to that scholastic conclusion?" she replied, a bit more dryly than intended. He was right, but that wasn't exactly a groundbreaking observation.

The huntsman seemed to brush off the acidulous response as he continued without any hesitation, "a group of 'kids' approached me while we were in the village. They intended on capturing and selling you."

Xayah let out a long and bitter laugh that lacked any trace of humor, "oh no! Not something that happens to me every day! Is that really what you were spending so much time trying to figure out how to carefully say?"

Once again, the condescending response had no visual effect on her companion's demeanor, in fact, he seemed to take in stride. He shrugged a little before responding, "some people are more sensitive than others despite their outward impression. Judging by the way you responded, you're one of those people."

So he thinks he has me figured out huh? Leave it up to humans to remind you of their arrogance whenever possible. Xayah thought for a moment before reeling herself in. It was easy to apply her outlook on humans to others without thinking about it, and that's exactly what she was doing now. She scanned the person walking alongside her for a moment, taking note of the expression on his face and his current demeanor. Nothing about either came off as haughty, he was simply being honest, just like the night before.

The Vastayan took a moment to take a breath to reset her mentality before deciding to get to the root of why this conversation began in the first place, "something tells me you wanted to do something more than play discount psychologist."

"Right, what I wanted to say was that the situation on Remnant could be much better for the Faunus. There are still plenty of places where things could, and I would even go as far to say need to, improve. However, it seems to be better than whatever goes on here."

"Elaborate."

Qrow turned his head to face her now, presumably to make better eye contact. "For starters, while people did used to hunt Faunus, it's a practice that is now outlawed by many. I'm sure you could find some ass-backwards out of the way village that still partakes in the disgusting practice, but for the most part you won't see that happening."

A place where she, and her race, wouldn't be hunted for simply existing? Crazier things have happened, but if it were true, then this was an idea she found some comfort in. However, she wouldn't be able to believe it until she saw it.

"Treatment of Faunus varies on your location as well," he continued, "some places are far more accepting than others. One place may welcome them with open arms, while another may not bar entry, but they'll make it clear that they're not wanted."

"What about you?" Xayah asked, "what about the place you come from?"

The huntsman seemed to straighten up a bit as he was asked the question, his sanguine irises broke away for a moment as he cleared his throat, "everyone was viewed the same more or less where I come from, didn't matter what you looked like or who you were. As for me, well, I don't hate you solely based on how you were born or what you look like so..."

She nodded slowly as she took in what her companion said before shooting a cross look in his direction. Her expression made him chuckle as he realized that his backhanded comment had been noticed.

"Oh really?" she replied, "your looks are enough of a reason to hate you."

That made the smirk on Qrow's face grow into a smile, "and here I thought you kept looking at me out of the corner of your eye because you couldn't get enough. Not that there is any shame in that."

Xayah scoffed and rolled her eyes while absentmindedly brushing some loose strands of maroon hair aside.The pair looked in opposite directions and enjoyed the silence for a moment. Time moved steadily onward and the afternoon continued to run its course. When dusk arrived, the two travelers would reach their destination, and if all went according to plan, they'd be in Remnant soon after.

The Vastayan couldn't help but wonder about how this second world would be like. It was clear that by her companion's appearance and mannerisms that there would be several similarities. However, it was the differences that intrigued her the most. She was interested in seeing how different these Faunus were, and the idea of a place where she wouldn't be hunted was something she was really keen on witnessing.

Not only that, but less complicated inquiries floated around in her head. What did this place look like? How did it smell? What did the magic feel like? Was nature the same when it came to its desire to create? How were things structured? These and many more were all questions she wanted answers to.

"If you felt like these things were best leaving out when you first saw me, why are you telling me them now?" Xayah asked.

"If things go well, we'll be in Remnant soon. I wanted you to at least have a clearer idea of the type of world you'd be stepping into." Qrow responded affably. "I don't expect you to follow me around everywhere I go, so I figured I'd make sure you weren't completely in the dark. You did the same thing for me, it's only fair."

"Do you plan on ditching me?" she accidentally blurted out.

"Well… no… I just figured that you'd want to do things on your own. The Faunus seem to be the thing you're the most interested in, and you can only learn so much about them from afar." Her companion rubbed the scruff on his chin seemingly in thought before continuing, "I'm not exactly around them all the time, and I have my own personal things to attend to. On top of that, I'm sure you had your own idea of things you want to do when you arrive."

She did have a general idea of a few things she wanted to do, but with all of the unknown variables of Remnant she wasn't sure how she was going to do them. Part of her had unintentionally just assumed that she'd have Qrow around if she needed more information. If not that, then she'd have a way to find him and contact him.

To the Vastayan it made logical sense, she had stuck around him and helped him get accustomed to Runeterra despite her feelings toward humans. It'd be fair for him to do the same for her. However, she immediately knew how naive that unintentional inference was. She stuck around him because she had something to gain, but once he reached home he'd have nothing more to gain from her. There would be nothing stopping him from bolting off in a random direction the first chance he got.

That idea, an idea that she felt she should be indifferent toward, felt like an uncomfortable one. Yet, Xayah chalked that up to simply seeing less convenience as less comfort. She was able to fend for herself in Runeterra just fine, and she'd see to it that Remnant was no different. Mentally rebuking herself for uncharacteristically leaning on the idea of help from a human, the Vastayan drew her attention to the path ahead.

It wasn't long before the darkness of night crept across the sky like a blanket, smothering any light with the absence of it. The moon had yet to completely rise, the edge of it just barely cresting over the treeline as it began its ascension. Creatures of the night made their presence known with their amalgamation of sounds that signaled their nocturnal nature.

Xayah always felt content during this time with her heavy preference of working at night. The cool air kept her vigilant, and lack of the bright, blazing hot sun meant she had more cover to work with. The subtle noises such as the calling of owls, or the symphony of crickets brought her peace of mind. Unfortunately, that comfort would be short lived.

As planned, shortly after dusk fell, tell tale signs of a nearby temple began to materialize around them. They were the same signs that Xayah had seen the first time she had sought out the first temple days ago. Slowly but surely, the energy of the living things around her was sapped, leaving behind a dull gray color that accompanied the miasma of death. It started off small with only portions of leaves and grass blades showing signs of tarnishing, but things quickly grew more and more desolate the deeper they ventured as the creations of nature that surrounded them was bereft of color.

One could equate the dismal sight to two armies of color battling for control over the land around them at a molecular level. Only to have the result be the marring of the spoils both armies sought. Stale air spread throughout the forest, causing Xayah to inadvertently scrunch her nose in disgust as the atmosphere was robbed of the once pleasant smell of fresh dew.

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the trees and plants aren't supposed to look like this normally," the Vastayan heard her companion say.

"Do you normally make puns when everything around you is dying?" she asked with an eyebrow raised out of somewhat sincere curiosity.

"No?" he replied somewhat confused before taking a moment to think about what he had just said. Realization seemed to dawn on him rather quickly, "that one was one-hundred percent unintentional."

"Uh-huh," she nodded, "get ready for a fight."

"Can't say I blame you for feeling so strongly about puns,"

"No you moron, I mean we're going to encounter people up ahead."

"Oh, right."

Xayah felt her connection to the magical energy around her grow weaker, but she paid it no mind as it was the same feeling she had encountered at the last temple she had infiltrated. She hadn't felt hindered at all when it came to her abilities, and that was still the case when she finally entered the border of a large clearing with her companion. It was devoid of any signs of natural life, and in the middle stood an erected temple that shared elements with the previous one. Decrepit stone walls with the several ancient carvings etched into them glowing an ominous crimson.

The main variance this time around was the clientele on guard duty. Gone were the cheap sellswords, and instead ninjas clothed in black from head to toe were in their stead. Crimson balaclavas matched their sashes and hid their faces from the world. All that was visible of their bodies were their menacing sanguine eyes. The silver moonlight gleamed threateningly against the blades that sat on their wrists as they went about their routine patrols.

"Twenty," Qrow observed out loud.

Xayah drew two feather daggers and spun around before embedding them into two enemies that had been trying to sneak up on them. Their bodies fell limp without any fanfare.

"Twenty-two," she said matter-of-factly.

"Right, I was just testing you." After a moment the huntsman added, "you passed by the way."

The marksman's response was to bolt out the treeline and begin picking off enemies one at a time. She quickly dispatched two more guards at a healthy range, they only had enough time to stare questioningly at the objects that had pierced their bodies before succumbing to their loss of life. It wasn't long before the disappearance of four comrades was noticed by those that remained, but that wasn't before four more met their untimely demise.

Xayah had launched herself over two before death rained down upon them. They had tried their best to avoid the impending doom, but the Vastayan's aim had been too true. As she pulled off this maneuver she had seen her companion battling in her periphery. The huntsman had taken care of the other two after ducking under a horizontal swing and replying with one of his own. As his first opponent crumpled to their knees, he stepped forward and immediately followed up with a vertical swing to slay the second. They both turned their focus toward the remaining fourteen enemies who were now sprinting in their direction.

Qrow dashed forward at an incredible speed to take point with his melee weapon, his shoulder connected with one of his targets sending them through the air. Xayah skirted around the outside of the combat zone and impaled the unfortunate ninja through his skull. That made a few opponents divert their attention toward the marksman, which she was more than happy to lead them on a fruitless chase. Four feathers later, and there was only one enemy left running after her. The Vastayan didn't even bother throwing another projectile, instead she called back the four she had used seconds before and they found themselves in the back of the final ninja.

She had left her companion with the few enemies that remained, but she didn't even need to look over to know that he had finished dealing with them. They regrouped at the entrance to the large stone temple, curt nods being exchanged as they pushed the doors aside.

The moonlight streamed in after the two travelers that stepped inside, illuminating a lifeless welcoming area. Destroyed tables and chairs littered the floor, and rotting wooden shelves desperately clung to the walls by their final hinges. The layout was very similar to the previous temple Xayah had entered, and it even had the same eerie red glow. She took that as a positive sign since the previous glow had been caused by a portal deep within the structure.

Both companions remained silent as they began to investigate the immediate area. Once they were certain they weren't going to be ambushed, they pressed on. Walking side by side they took a dark passage that lead to the center room of the once sacred building. Their instincts kept them on full alert, daring something to make even the smallest sound.

The sound never came, and soon they were standing in front of a gateway to Remnant, an exact duplicate of the one the huntsman had come through just a few days ago. Neither could take the next step as they simply stared in unspoken awe. This was something that many could only imagine, but never believe to truly exist. Cosmic proportions of energy radiated from it like a siren's song, a tantalizing force that pulled at the strings of anyone weak enough to give into their desires.

"You sure you want to do this?" Qrow asked, "for all we know this could lead somewhere else entirely."

"What do I have to lose?" Xayah responded solemnly.

"Your home, friends, family, familiarity, comfort."

The Vastayan chuckled listlessly, "I lost all of that a long time ago."

Her companion turned to her with an earnest expression, "it's still your choice to make. Feel free to turn around and leave if you change your mind, I'll leave it open for a few minutes before I destroy it."

"Destroy it?"

A sad smile appeared on the huntsman's lips, "two worlds joined like this seems to be as unnatural as it gets. If I leave this place open, it runs the risk of being found my someone else. Remnant and Runeterra both have their own problems, it wouldn't help either place if those spilled over."

Xayah saw merit in that idea, especially if she thought about the species that could somehow be related to her. If Noxus, or even just people from Ionia found a gateway to another realm and mistook them for Vastaya, they'd be hunted again. Not only that, but there would be wars over locations such as this if word got out. Humans destroying each other would do the world a favor in her eyes, but that wouldn't be without the destruction of nature itself. The thing she didn't like the most about this situation however, was that it felt like she would be losing a friend if she didn't cross over.

They had only been together a few days, and yet she had grown accustomed to the gruff swordsman. Something she never thought possible considering the fact that he was a human. He had yet to show any of the disgusting traits that most humans tended to have. Since the day of meeting him, he had been mostly upfront about everything. There was no obvious deceit, and he didn't seem to have a desire to destroy for personal gain without disregard for others. He took people alive in deadly situations, but also understood when there was no other choice but to cut people down.

Had Qrow been Vastayan, Xayah knew that she wouldn't even be questioning his ability to become at least an acquaintance of hers. So was it right to deny him of that chance simply because the rest of his species could be so malevolent?

The silence that had been drawn out was finally broken by the man in question, "in case you don't come to Remnant, I wanted to say thanks for not killing me the second you saw me. Believe me when I say that I understand that humans can be terrible, I've got a lot of personal experience. But there are some that aren't so bad, and I hope I'm not overstepping by saying this, but anyone can be awful no matter what race they are. I know you know this, but we all need a reminder from time to time."

Before the golden-eyed marksman could decide where Qrow stood in her mind, or argue against his point, her companion had already stepped through the crimson gateway. It was somewhat a show of dramatics, but Xayah chalked that observation up to the stiff atmosphere in the room and her own introspection.

There was no doubt in her mind that he had purposefully said a statement that would get her thinking so that way she was compelled to follow after him and give him hell for it. Either that, or to leave her behind in her own mind while he waited before severing the connection between their home worlds. Either action could be seen as a caring one, but she didn't dwell on that Idea as she ran forward into the unknown only seconds later.

The second her body made contact with the crimson surface, Xayah felt weightless. Not only that, but she also felt a numbness overtake her, it was if she was being stripped down to the very fiber of her being. She looked down at her hands to make sure her body was still intact, and she was glad to see it was. Yet, it felt like she was controlling something that didn't belong to her.

Around her different landscapes flashed by rapidly, each accompanied by a different smell, sound, and feeling that caused a sensory overload. Some of these things felt familiar, while others felt indisputably foreign. Her level of comfort cycled up and down just as quickly, and she quickly became nauseous. This accompanied by the lack of any notion of time made her want to crawl out of her skin.

The unpleasant amalgam of sensations ended as quickly as it had began, almost as if it had never happened and it was all a figment of her imagination. The winged-marksman was now standing in a clearing decorated by several different pillars. Her golden irises adjusted to the environment around her, and feeling rushed back into every part of her body leaving behind a sense of soreness in its wake.

Xayah reeled back and fell to one knee as she took her first breath of air. There was an acrid property to it, and it had an aftertaste of metal so pungent that she spat to make sure she wasn't bleeding. She felt energy start to be sapped from her body as she lifted her head, and for the first time she heard the sound of someone exerting themselves. Grunts were accompanied by a cacophony of deafening roars, and it didn't take long for the Vastayan to lay her eyes on Qrow fighting a small horde of the dark beasts she encountered the day she had met him.

The stream of enemies seemed almost endless, but the huntsman kept up with them well. True to his form, his swings were precise and economical. His stance was reserved, and his spacing was immaculate. Razor-sharp claws tried their damndest to tear open his neck, but they were always just short.

Despite clearly not needing it, the marksman got to her feet to offer aid to her companion. It was a bad move, and her energy was sapped away even quicker. The atmosphere had a ravenous appetite for her life-force, and it intended on drinking in every last drop. It was suffocating her, and it only grew worse every time she attempted to choke out a breath.

Before she knew it, Xayah's face met the unwelcoming cold embrace of the stone path below her. Her vision began to blur as she finally took in the environment directly around her. The ground was an egregious copper color, devoid of any grass or any other signs of life. The sky above her was empty, there was no light, no darkness, no sun, no moon, just a bleak ruby-red emptiness. Her final visual observation was the things she had mistaken for tall pillars were actually a large group of menacing trees. They were deprived of life, and yet they stood firm all the same, their tangled branches threatening reaching for the heavens above, as if attempting to tear them apart.

However, the most terrifying revelation of all about this place hit her like a lightning bolt before her consciousness slipped.

There wasn't any magic here.


	6. Chapter 6 - Don't Look Back

**Chapter 6 - Don't Look Back**

Being a teacher at Signal was something that Qrow had quickly learned to appreciate whenever things came down to reading people. This coupled along with his experience of being a student at Beacon had done wonders for his social skills. Unintentional confinement to the tribe he was born into made for limited interactions, and it didn't help that the people within that group thought along the same lines. Conversations had similar, dull outcomes that were grossly accompanied by a narrow view of the world.

Schools were different, most importantly, Vale was different. It had been the first kingdom to treat Faunus as people, the conditions weren't optimal, but the small step had been in the right direction. With people like Ozpin in positions of power and influence, one of the safest places from the creatures of darkness extended to more than just humans. In turn, that allowed Qrow to meet people from many different backgrounds and schools of thought. He didn't agree with a lot of them, but he appreciated those people all the same.

Without the diversity he would've never understood the dark nature of those he grew to call family. He would've never been introduced to the optimistic ideals of starry-eyed huntsman and huntresses in training. Ideals that he was one-hundred and ten percent behind when he himself had also been an optimist. It went without saying that It didn't take long for him to be woken up by the realities of life, and his optimism was cut away and replaced by disdain and pessimism.

However, experience was the gift that kept on giving, and it was what he had been counting on to help him understand the reserved woman that currently walked with him. So far, it was winning out. For her it seemed that actions spoke louder than words, and that was a philosophy any sensible person could get behind. Of course that hadn't stopped him from getting wordy with her from time to time, or even trying to make her laugh. He had yet to crack that impassive face with his humor, but he had succeeded in getting through with some of his antics and snide remarks. That was good enough for him.

Their time together up until this point could be seen as short when thought of in days, but when viewed in hours, a much clearer and more accurate picture could be painted. In those hours Qrow had learned quite a bit about "the Violent Raven" as he had heard her once called. Unfortunately none of this was through direct means, but rather through many small observations stitched together. A patchwork quilt with no clear design, or artistic direction.

He could tell himself that the only reason he was still traveling with her was because having a native to the area made things a lot easier. The problem was, he'd only be telling a partial truth. There was an allure to her that he couldn't deny, something more than just her striking appearance. It was a mystery that he had slowly become invested in. Learning what made Xayah tick was something he had unintentionally allowed himself to become far too intrigued by.

The huntsman continued on with his musings until sun's position in the sky caught his attention. Despite how slowly the day had begun, he felt that like him, his companion knew it wouldn't stay that way for long. They had walked in silence since beginning their trek earlier in the morning, but the raven-haired huntsman decided to break it by launching into an explanation about how the conditions for the Faunus were really like on Remnant. It was a short-lived conversation, but it was an important one.

The rest of the day went by in a blur up until they finally reached the temple that Akali had so graciously revealed the night before. Qrow had a very fuzzy memory of what the previous one looked like from the inside, but he was certain this was the place. If its architecture didn't make it stick out like a sore thumb, the outfit of ninjas on guard duty sure did. Their equipment would shy away hopeful looters and explorers, but it'd take a lot more than what they had on display to test his or his companion's mettle.

Shortly after arriving, a skirmish ensued. It was a quick route thanks to the combat prowess of the swordsman and marksman duo. They worked well together despite having limited knowledge of the other's capabilities. Their instinct and reflexes allowed for quick responses that enabled them to execute maneuvers in tandem.

With the encounter over, all that was left to do was enter the temple and take the gateway inside back to where he had come from. Returning to Remnant was something Qrow was looking forward to, any sense of normalcy after the past few days was a welcome change. However, the more he thought about it, the more he realized that there was nothing normal about it. He'd still remember Runeterra's existence, the handful of people he had interacted with, the sights, sounds, and smells.

The peace that came during a Grimmless night would be something he'd never experience again. Well, at least not anytime soon. Furthermore, If Xayah crossed over with him, she'd be more than just a memory. More than just a simple snapshot in his mind that he could hide at will. He'd have brought a piece of Runeterra with him, whether she decided to follow him around or not.

That would pose another problem. He was an operative for a secret organization mainly consisting of teachers. Having someone behind him all the time would make his job exponentially more difficult. This wasn't in the sense that he would have to look after her, Xayah clearly capable of doing things on her own. She had saved his life and lead him around her homeworld up until the end, he definitely trusted her at this point, but it was still to an extent. That extent was a far cry from letting her tag along on top secret missions.

This was all without consideration for the haunting curse that stuck to him with more persistence than his shadow. His semblance had already had an effect on her more than once, they had both been 'lucky' that nothing too drastic had happened.

If all this wasn't enough for his mind to process, there were still two options among the discord that inhabited his mind. They were far more silent than the more pressing issues, but they made just enough sense to be noticed. Most important of all though, they came from more personal and selfish recesses of the huntsman's mind.

One idea consisted of destroying the gateway once he arrived in Remnant and not allowing Xayah to cross over. This way she could stay home, in a place of comfort, and arguably the place she truly belonged. It would be better for her that way. However, there was no doubt in his mind that he would abhor him for doing something like that. He could tell himself that it was the better outcome for her, but that would be tenuous reassurance to make himself feel better.

The second idea was to convince her to follow him, he could introduce her to the people she was interested in seeing. It'd be easy enough to take her to Menagerie, there she could spend as much time as she needed figuring out if there really was a connection between her and the Faunus. It could answer a lot of questions, but the outcome he wanted from this was that he wouldn't have to say goodbye.

It felt so foolish to be put off by the idea of a farewell between himself and a woman he barely met. Yet, despite how dumb he told himself it was, the end result still felt unsatisfactory. It had been far too long since he had met someone new whose company he enjoyed. Having a partner watching his back for once was nice, and she was someone that had no stake in absolutely anything in his life. Getting under her skin was also something he was beginning to grow fond of. The way her piercing eyes narrowed when one of his snide remarks was caught never failed to make a smile tug at the corners of his lips.

Ultimately, Qrow understood that this decision wasn't his to make. All he could do was lay out his companion's options and let her decide. It was truly best this way, he wouldn't have to carry the burden of choosing someone else's path should something go awry.

This internal struggle was over before he knew it, and soon the huntsman was back in Remnant. He checked himself over and quickly assessed that he wasn't any worse for wear. It was not all good news though, a small clearing on the continent of Umbra was laid out before him, and there was no shortage of Grimm waiting to greet his arrival. The stale air of the dead continent did little to phase him as it was a dreadful sensation he had grown accustomed to thanks to the unhealthy amount of time he had spent around these parts.

Rolling his shoulders to return full feeling in them, Qrow's hand hovered over the hilt of his faithful weapon. A warm-up wasn't necessary, but he appreciated the opportunity all the same. A horde of beowolves starred intrepidly at the unwelcome addition to their home, and they made their unanimous displeasure known with a deafening cacophony of roars. It was a sound that would be reproduced as each one fell to the large silver blade on the huntsman's back.

He quickly fell into his usual offensive rhythm when combating the creatures of darkness. Their lack of strategy or conjoined tactics made their movements practically harmless. They always depended on numbers and variety in strength to overwhelm their prey, but they were lacking in both of those things this time around.

 _Time's up,_ Qrow reminded himself of the crimson gateway that stood behind him. He hadn't heard anyone follow after him, and if his companion had traversed over, he doubted that she would just be watching the skirmish in front of her. It would only take a second to dash back and destroy the opening before returning his focus to the steadily dwindling number of Grimm in front of him.

A chance to do just that arose soon after that thought, and the swordsman pivoted on a heel before rushing toward the last known connection between his world and a foreign one. His mind was focused like a razor's edge, and he almost missed the incapacitated woman that laid motionless on the stone path before him.

Unwelcome images from his past flooded into his mind like a tidal wave. They were images of disappointment… despair… failure… A twisted slideshow of memories that he could never allow himself to forget. Memories that kept him anchored to the bottom of the ocean that was his mind. Memories that he had tried relentlessly to escape time and time again, and had always failed to make contact with the surface.

Without any consideration, Qrow returned his weapon to his back and picked the unconscious woman up before sprinting straight into the gateway. The process of being transported between worlds had never felt less significant to him, and once he had reached his destination he clumsily reached for his weapon and severed the link to his home.

Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he rushed out of the ancient monument. His legs moved without his command, carrying him and his charge outside into the cascading moonlight and further away from the now dormant temple. His mind was focused on one thing, and one thing only: the well-being of the woman in his arms.

Unbeknownst to the protector of Remnant, his destruction of the link between the two worlds had released all of the magic it had siphoned from the forest around it. Life began to rapidly restore to the forest around them, the potent magical energy oblivious to the two individuals. Color returned in full, driving away the dreary mixture of gray, and within moments the creatures of the night returned. Their symphonies resuming as if never postponed.

The fleeing huntsman remained unaware of this drastic turn of events as his memories continued to haunt him. Memories of the raids his tribe had conducted that he had once been on board with, and now powerless to stop. Memories of countless lives that had been lost due to the possibility of him just being in their vacinity. Memories of people he had failed. People like Summer and Amber who he couldn't save. People like his sister whom he couldn't stop from abandoning their duties as a huntsman or huntress to instead raise their weapons in favor of their old ways.

Links continued to add themselves to this incorporeal chain of defeat with no ending in sight. Yet Qrow was still determined to make sure that Xayah didn't become one of those links. It was not only for his own sanity, but more importantly, for her life. A life that would still be thriving had he not pulled her into all of this.

He didn't notice when he had stopped running, it was another unconscious decision. One second he was weaving in and out of the tree line, and the next he was leaning against a sturdy trunk, holding the Vastayan in his arms with so much care it was if she would shatter should even the gentlest breeze touch her.

It was a morbid thought, but the huntsman soon realized he hadn't even bothered checking for a pulse all this time. His concerns were immediately put to rest when he noticed the subtle rise and fall of Xayah's chest as she took one breath after another.

Things had finally managed to work out with a positive outcome. For the first time since returning to Runeterra, Qrow allowed himself to breathe easily. The adrenaline had begun to wear off, and signs of soreness began to spread throughout his body like wildfire. It was a sensation that was quickly pushed to the back of his mind, he wouldn't be resting any time soon.

His companion was still alive, and he had to make sure that didn't change.

* * *

Xayah awoke with tension and exhaustion ingrained into her muscles. Even the fluttering of her eyelids as they opened was met with agonizing protest. Her natural night vision took longer than usual to kick in as the world around her was a dark haze broken by disorganized beams of moonlight. The more she blinked to try and recognize her surroundings, the more her body fought back. Eventually she gave up on the thought of awakening, and she allowed the tendrils of sleep to drag her back to the land of the unconscious. However, this was not without the realization that she was moving.

The next time she awoke, the Vastayan bolted slightly upright in shock due to her previous realization. Every inch of her body still screamed at her to show its displeasure, but it didn't matter. Her sight adjusted to the dark environment around her without hesitation, and she had to stop herself from clawing at the familiar sanguine orbs that were staring back at her. She was no longer moving, but she felt arms supporting her around her legs and her waist. The foreign sensation of being held by someone made shivers disperse throughout her body.

"Where am I?" she heard her unexpectedly weak voice ask.

"Back in Runeterra."

That voice was definitely Qrow's, but the lack of energy was evident. Were they both that exhausted, or was her hearing going?

"Runeterra?" her voice asked with slightly more energy than before, serving to showcase surprise. "What happened?"

"I don't know," the human's gruff voice answered, "I didn't hear or see you come in behind me so I figured you made the decision to stay. When I turned around to destroy the portal, you were there, lying unconscious on the ground."

"So you picked me up and brought me back?"

The huntsman nodded.

"What about the portal?"

"I destroyed it."

"What?!" Xayah felt like the wind was knocked out of her. She couldn't see or feel it, but sheer shock was written all over her face

"It's gone, just like the first one."

The simple explanation wasn't enough for her, her brain just couldn't wrap around what that sentence meant. She had heard the words loud and clear, but they lacked all meaning. They were stripped down to a collection of syllables that were strung together.

"Why?"

"The same reason I told you before, we can't have problems spilling over," Qrow explained.

"No. Why did you come back? Why didn't you just leave me there and move on?"

Her companion fell a moment, and Xayah wondered if he wasn't too sure himself, or if he was having a hard time putting it into words. Perhaps it was another situation where he would only be partially honest. Although she wouldn't let that fly, she'd prod for more if that was the case.

She was certain there was no possible way it had been an easy decision to make. She'd personally give anything to return to what she saw as home. Home to her wasn't Runeterra, home was being with her father and spending time with the other members of her tribe. Hireath accompanied her unconditionally like the wing on her back, the feeling of longing for a home that could no longer be was devastating. Most of her believed that she'd give anything to get that back, but a human she had recently met had thrown away a chance at that.

"You saved my life when I was in the same situation, it was only right that I do the same," he reasoned.

There had to be more to it than that, something or many things that he wasn't telling her. Surely he wouldn't have done this just because she didn't let him die due to a hopeful whim. She was still keen on prodding for more, but at the same time, there were plenty of things she would never reveal to him.

Yet, she still tried to get a little more, "But… you were home… "

"I'd rather not have someone's death be one of the conditions required to get back to the place I'm from."

"Guess you're never getting home then, you killed your fair share of those ninjas."

"You know what I meant," she could see a smirk begin to tug at her companion's lip.

"I do… and I think you're an idiot…" the last word lacked all edge to it, and instead was presented as something closer to an endearing remark.

"That's definitely not the first time I've heard that, but where would I be if I couldn't give you a hard time for all the things you do?"

"Home."

"Sounds lackluster," Qrow admitted, "besides, we don't even know if that was truly my last chance to get back. For all we know, there are hundreds more of those."

Xayah didn't reply immediately, instead she thought on the idea, eventually coming to the conclusion that it was totally plausible. That still didn't change the fact that a human had chosen her life over their own, or at least, their home. Not only was that the most meaningful thing a human had ever done for her, but it was the most selfless decision she had ever seen a human make, period.

"Well, should I thank you simply because you thanked me for 'doing the same'?" she asked incredulously.

"I don't think that's how gratitude works."

"Glad we agree on that," she noted.

They allowed a mutual silence, Xayah closed her heavy eyelids. She listened to the chirping of crickets, and the croaking of frogs accompanied by the soothing sound of rushing water. She paid special attention to the sound of her companion's slow breaths that kept to a steady rhythm.

Before she felt her consciousness drift once more, the Vastayan evaluated her current situation. She had found a human from another place entirely who she had helped understand the place she was from to a very limited extent. Then she lead said human around Ionia in hopes that he could return home, and had been true to his word about a species that may or may not resemble her. She believed his words at this point, and now she was allowing this human to watch over her.

Any other version of herself would call her an absolute imbecile for going down this path. Being lead around on a wild goose chase due to the simple idea of no longer being the small minority was idiotically optimistic at best. Not only that, but she had grown accustomed to and, whether she admitted it or not, enjoyed the company of a human. Of all things, this was right up there with the least likely things to ever happen to her.

"Qrow."

"Hmm?"

"Thanks."

He didn't reply at first, as if he hadn't quite heard what she had said, but after a moment he responded. "I think that's the first time you've said my name," he pointed out, but Xayah was already asleep. Deciding that the discomfort of being held in someone else's arms could be forgotten, just this once.

* * *

Built on a moderately high plateau surrounded by trees and accompanied by a daunting mountainside decorated by waterfalls, was the capital city of Ionia. Even enshrouded by the cover of a gentle rain, the architectural marvel was as regal as it was beautiful. As one got closer they could see how the water droplets gracefully cascaded off of the sloped rooftops and arches to be collected by an immaculate drainage system. Dull grays and browns were few and far between with buildings dressed in far more lively colors that complemented the wildlife the city was built upon.

It wasn't long after entering the city that Qrow found himself sitting across from Xayah in the corner of a dingy tavern illuminated by oil lamps. They were drinking, as was custom for both travelers when they were alone. The bartender had greeted them cordially when they had entered, but the patrons had looked them over pointedly. There was no pleasant or warm environment from them, but that was just how the two travelers liked it. They said nothing to each other as they took turns raising their glasses to their lips, only communicating with subtle movements.

The conversations that took place within the boisterous atmosphere of the establishment was far more intriguing to them. Most were inane and inconsequential anecdotes, someone being suspicious of their beloved, another talking about their mundane job, plans for a vacation. Eventually they tuned into information they were looking for that was being discussed three tables away.

"Have you guys spoken to Hiro lately?" a man asked in a concerned tone.

"No, last I talked to him he was mumbling on about some dark spirits he saw while he was traveling to sell wares in Tuula," one of his friends replied.

"The ones with blades for hands and blood red eyes?" another chimed in.

"Those are the ones," the second man affirmed, "I think he's losing it."

Qrow was lightly drumming his fingers on the wooden table and raised an eyebrow at his companion as if to say _It couldn't be that easy, right?_ She responded with a shrug while mouthing the words, 'anything is possible,' before drinking once more from her glass.

"You think so?" the one that had presented the topic inquired with uncertainty clear in his voice, "he never struck me as a guy that would just lose it."

"When you travel alone for as long as he has, you want to believe you've seen things."

"I suppose, but he's still a young guy. I think he has a few years before he starts making things up."

"Know what I think?" the third one pushed himself back into the conversation, "I think we need another round."

The other two vehemently agreed, and both Qrow and Xayah knew that was enough of a sign to show that they'd be moving on from that topic. With that in mind, the huntsman finished his drink and produced a few gold to pay his half of the tab. He began to stand up from his seat before the Vastayan waved him back down. Confused, he acquiesced to the command and was immediately back in the wooden chair.

It was clear that his companion was listening to another conversation now, but Qrow couldn't tell which one. He heard a pair of voices steadily becoming louder to match the other's tone, but it was just a generic argument between drunkards and nothing more. They were slurring their words and flinging insults that made little to no sense to anyone but themselves. Moving on from that, he struggled to find anything that particularly stood out.

The search for whomever Xayah was listening to remained fruitless until the raven-haired swordsman noticed two patrons steadily approaching their table. They were both male, one with a more muscular build than the other. A look of determination was plastered on the muscular one's face while the other held a look of uncertainty.

"I'll take this one," Qrow assured.

"You're only good for talking," his companion replied, "when they get bored of you I'll have to take care of it."

"Ouch," was all he could get out in mock hurt before the two strangers reached their table. The unmistakable sight of Xayah's red lips curling into a smirk came and went in a flash.

"Do you know who the person you're sitting across from really is?" the determined stranger asked the huntsman ominously in a low tone.

"An escort?" Qrow replied, biting back a laugh when he saw the Vastayan's eyes narrow just slightly.

The stranger didn't acknowledge the response, almost as if he knew he'd have to clarify no matter what the huntsman said. "That is The Viol-"

"I'm still not so sure that's her," the smaller, clearly nervous man cut him off.

"It's her," the first man reassured as his brows furrowed.

"If she is whoever you think she is," the huntsman pushed his way back in, "is it really smart to talk about her like she isn't sitting here?"

"I don't care to address a murderer!" the man bellowed, no longer able to keep his composure. "She killed a friend of ours who was on guard duty, I know it was her!"

The building fell silent when the accusation rocketed around the acoustics. Eyes shifted immediately to the scene that was unfolding. Glasses stopped short of people's lips, and many uneasy glances were exchanged between several denizens.

"Oh? That's a pretty hefty accusation," Qrow prodded with an eyebrow raised, "what was he guarding?"

"That's none of your business!" the smaller one answered with a bit more confidence instilled by his friend's show of dramatics.

"Sounds like your friend was in with the wrong crowd," Xayah finally spoke up. "He crossed the wrong people, be smarter than him and learn from his mistake."

That set the accuser off like an explosion with his response no longer being oral. A fist flew toward the Vastayan's skull which she dodged with ease as she nonchalantly leaned to the side. The impact created a hole in the innermost layer of the tavern wall, sending splinters flying and stray pieces of wood cut into the man's knuckles. Shock was written all of over both his and his friend's faces, but the expression was soon replaced with one of pain as his target took the opportunity to sink her teeth into his wrist.

Qrow still had yet to move from his seat as he watched the melee unfold. He had yet to see Xayah in close combat, but he didn't doubt her ability. She made her case even stronger when she withdrew her teeth from the man's wrist and then swiftly dashed toward him. A hand held the stranger in place while the other fed him punches like it was an all-you-can-eat buffet. His look of sheer shock never wavering.

The huntsman turned to address the other person that had approached their table, but he was already on the run. His display of cowardice was noticed by all in the room, but that was soon followed by a show of carelessness as he unintentionally knocked over an inebriated patron during his dash for the door. The drunk man retaliated immediately by sending the smaller person flying into a group of people, and that was all that was needed to set the whole room off in pandemonium.

The two drunkards from before that were arguing with incomprehensible insults were now exchanging blows. It was as if this course of action was now acceptable because it was taking place around them. Other smaller incidents broke out as well thanks to the majority of the space being taken up by fights and overturned furniture. Some people tried to cross the room and quell the initial scuffle that had set this all off, and soon both the bartender and the coward from before were nowhere to be seen.

Qrow dodged under a sharp right hook before replying with one of his own. He then relaxed his neck before falling into an orthodox stance and sending a jab right into an aggressors chest. Pivoting on his heel, he dished out an uppercut to another before they could reach him. Someone backed into him unintentionally, but they wouldn't make the same mistake twice as they were soon sent across the room.

It had been a while since the huntsman had taken part in a good old-fashioned tavern brawl, and thanks to the buzz he had going, he was thoroughly enjoying it. There was just something so invigorating about the smell of spilled beer, vomit, and sweat while throwing one punch after another.

Another combatant caught his attention, but he stopped short when he felt glass shatter against his back. His Aura had taken the brunt of the damage, and he turned just in time to see a chair flying in his direction. He replied by catching it and hitting someone else over the head with it. The sound of more glass breaking made him turn to face another opponent who was brandishing a broken beer bottle. Before he could react though, Xayah appeared and kicked the new threat over a table. Shortly after, the huntsman felt someone try to climb onto his back and wrap an arm around his throat, but throwing his head forward was enough to send them into a wall. The man that had thrown the chair at him earlier had closed the distance between them and was now preparing a haymaker, the blow was dodged before it could make contact and soon the man was put to sleep.

Lithe fingers wrapped around the swordsman's wrist, and it took all of his discipline to stop his reactions from kicking in. He turned to face his companion who didn't look any worse for wear save for her hair being a little messier than before. Her expression was stern as she gestured toward the door with her head. No second comment was necessary, and they both headed for the exit, dodging past people on their way out.

Outside the rain continued to fall from the dark clouds above, uninterested in anything going on down below. It had little effect on the two travelers as they walked through the streets that wove elegantly throughout the city. The cobblestone paths were mostly empty outside save for the occasional passerby.

"Told you I'd have to take care of it," Xayah pointed out with a smirk.

"But I was having fun," the huntsman pouted.

"I'm sure the Ionian Guard would've had just as much fun arresting you and bringing you in for questioning," his companion replied as they turned into an alleyway.

"Fair point," Qrow agreed with his hands in his pockets. "What was that guy going on about anyway? That's the second person I've heard refer to you by that moniker."

He could see the Vastayan grimace before she gave an answer, "it's really none of your business."

That response caused him to make a similar sour face, "it WASN'T my business, but that changed when the brawl broke out."

"You didn't have to stick around."

He was about to put his displeasure with that answer into words, but was cut off by an unexpected voice that came to life as soon as they exited the alleyway.

"Halt!" a woman dressed in crimson armor commanded as she stomped in their direction.

Her black hair was parted back and allowed to flow freely down her shoulders, framing her porcelain face. The armor she wore had a silver trim to it, and it did a good job of covering the vital parts of her body. That wasn't to say it lacked in style, the design itself had multiple plates but still managed to hold the graceful elegance most of Ionia embodied with soft curves and corners. A leather strap ran diagonally across her chest, presumably to hold the sheath for the sword and shield that were resting on her back.

"Time for you to do what you do best," Qrow heard Xayah murmur out of the corner of her mouth as she nudged him.

Being constantly put on the spot wasn't something the huntsman was too fond of, but he knew his patience probably lasted much longer than his partner's. "Lovely evening isn't it?" he greeted the newcomer while secretly giving her a once over. It was strange, but there was something oddly familiar about her.

"Spare me the pleasantries," the unknown woman replied in a no-nonsense tone while staring daggers into them with her cobalt eyes. "I have a report about a female Vastayan and a male human starting a brawl at a tavern nearby, you two wouldn't know anything about that would you?"

"Not a clue I'm afraid."

The guard hummed, clearly not convinced, "really? So you two are just two teenagers making out in an alleyway to dodge curfew then?"

Qrow chuckled a little, "sometimes you just like to relive old memories am I right?" He looked directly at Xayah who stood still for a moment, clearly not happy about also being put on the spot, before she nodded and slipped an arm behind the huntsman's back. Not a single second passed before he could feel a sharp pinch near his ribs as his companion showed her vexation.

"Right, and why isn't she talking?"

"She's mute."

Another sharp pinch.

The guard sighed and shook her head as she seemed to think something over before she spoke once more, "alright, come with me. I have more questions for you two."

 _Well shit._

"Captain Mizuki!" a male's voice called as it rounded the corner of a building further down the street. "We couldn't find them, did you have any luck?"

"As a matter of fact-"

"Wait, Mizuki?" Qrow cut the response off, "I knew I had seen you before, your father is Ousuke right? He lives on Tevasa Mountain and runs a clothing shop."

That gave the captain pause, and instead the man who was presumably her subordinate spoke once more, "is it these two?"

"Is it which two?" Mizuki responded, unexpectedly dumbfounded.

"The two that match the description that are standing right there!"

"I don't see anyone that matches the description," the female captain answered, even going as far as to do a once over of the area around her. "I just see a nice couple that went out for a walk to enjoy the rain while it lasts."

The subordinate stared sternly at his superior for a moment before shrugging and announcing that he'd look elsewhere instead. He made good on her announcement, doing a one-eighty and heading back in the direction he had come from.

"Well," Mizuki's voice perked up, her stern tone from before evaporating, "I'd be happy to take you two back to my place so we can get out of the rain."

Qrow turned to his companion who had tapped on his shoulder and was now giving him a questioning look. He shrugged before catching up with the captain of the Ionian Guard. The situation definitely wasn't ideal, but If this got them out of being arrested he'd be more than happy to go along with it. Ousuke was a good guy, and the change of inflection in his daughter's voice made him want to believe that she was probably just as kind.

They wandered through the streets for a short time before they arrived at Mizuki's home. It didn't take much time to reach their destination, but it had been enough for the rain to slow down to a calm drizzle. Just like the city it was in, the captain's home was decorated with water droplets that slid elegantly off of a shingled rooftop. Being in the military must've paid pretty well because the woman's home was two levels tall and had both a large gate and a small pond directly in front of it.

"You sure it's wise to let us go and then invite us to your home?" Qrow asked the raven-haired soldier.

"Who said I was letting you go?"

The huntsman's body tensed up at that, as did his companion's while they exchanged quick glances.

A short giggle was released from Mizuki before she clarified, "I'm kidding! That wasn't the first brawl in that tavern, and it certainly won't be the last. We get called in too often for that sort of thing." Opening the gate to her home, she continued, "if you know my dad then it's only proper manners to invite you to my home. Truthfully, I've been so focused on my job here that I haven't had time to go back and visit."

"Is that so?" Qrow asked in an attempt to keep the conversation going. If she was going to attempt to be a good host, he'd do his part to be a decent guest.

"Yeah, I recently got my promotion so now I'm a big shot captain," she explained. "I definitely worked hard for this, but I would be lying if I said all of these new responsibilities weren't overwhelming."

"I can only imagine," the protector of Remnant replied, relishing the irony of his statement.

They walked on a stone path that sat alongside the small pond that was in the front yard. Its surface was decorated with flowers that resembled water lilies, only disturbed by the steady precipitation from the heavens above. Qrow was the first to step inside the woman's home since she held the door open for her two guests.

The first thing he noticed was that it mimicked the warm and inviting atmosphere that Ousuke's home had. Light bulbs placed in lamps came to life without any special command, their warm glow revealing a small welcome area. There was a coat rack near the door that had space for four pieces of clothing with one piece currently absent. A pair of slippers sat on the wooden floor, placed directly adjacent to two small steps that lead into a short hallway before splitting off in two directions.

They were lead into a dining area where both travelers took a seat in comfortably cushioned chairs that surrounded a circular table. The pleasant smell of walnuts filled the air, and Mizuki disappeared into her kitchen for a moment. After a minute she returned with a ceramic platter that held a dozen pastry rolls before telling her two guests to help themselves while she momentarily excused herself.

"She seems nice," Qrow whispered to his companion, careful of his voice's volume.

Xayah shrugged before leaning forward and picking up one of the pastries and examining it before taking a bite. The huntsman observed her as she seemed to try to decide whether or not she liked the small round dessert. Eventually she must've settled on liking it because after a short moment she finished the rest of the treat.

"That good, huh?" his question went vocally unanswered once more as the winged-marksman simply lifted a hand before turning her palm upward and immediately back downward in a so-so expression. He was about to ask if she was going to keep up the mute facade, but he was stopped by the sound of footsteps heading back toward the room.

"I'm preparing tea as well, hopefully you both like Gyokuro," Mizuki returned with her armor traded for a plain kimono instead. Her hair had been made into a ponytail, and the dark blue of her new clothing really complemented the color of her eyes. She took a seat across the table, a soft smile on her lips.

"I've never had that kind of tea actually," Qrow admitted, allowing a smile to appear on his lips instead of his normally reserved demeanor.

"Really? I thought my dad would've offered you some."

"I'm sure he would've," the huntsman leaned into the comfortable padding of his chair, "but I was kind of in a rush so he didn't get the chance." He remembered the missing coat at the entrance to the home and decided to steer the subject away from him for the time being, "do you live alone?"

"Only when my husband is traveling for his job, which is pretty much all the time."

"Is he a soldier as well?"

"Pilot, actually."

"Oh really?" he was reminded of the painting of Mizuki that sat in Ousuke's home. She had been wearing gear commonly associated with aviation.

"Yeah," she chuckled, it was much less laughter caused by humor and more just a sound to fill the air. "He flies the airships that travel in and out of Ionia."

"Do you still fly?"

The raven-haired woman chewed at her lip for a moment, "sadly I'm grounded for the time being. I need to do some repairs and I just haven't had the time with things being hectic lately. Not only that, but I'd also have to wait for parts from Piltover to arrive."

Qrow made a mental note when the name of what was presumably a city was mentioned. "What's causing things to become far more chaotic?" he asked, furthering the conversation and hoping it was the things he and Xayah were after.

"Unfortunately I'm not at liberty to discuss that aside from us having to move some people for the Blossom Festival being held on Tevasa Mountain this time of year," Mizuki explained, slightly adjusting her seat.

"I heard about that while I was visiting," Qrow carried-on, "wouldn't this be a perfect time for you to visit home?"

"It would be, and I was offered the time for it, but I just couldn't. I'm married to my job at the moment. I've always wanted to reach something like this ever since I knew I could help defend my nation." she shifted the topic back to the swordsman, "Why didn't you stick around for the festival? You were already in the right place."

While the woman across from him was speaking the huntsman had noticed by now that Xayah had pretty much zoned out by this point. She seemed to be staring absentmindedly at a picture of a landscape that hung on a wall directly behind their hostess. It was a beautiful picture of a vibrant forest in autumn. Leaves were colored in many different oranges, browns, and reds as they fell elegantly.

"I'm a little embarrassed," he chuckled, bringing himself back to the topic at hand, "I don't have any good reason why I didn't attend."

"Did you not want to go?" she asked, directing the inquiry at Xayah who seemed to quickly reassemble the conversation that had taken place before offering a shrug. That caused slight disappointment to become obvious in the pilot's face, "that's a shame, it really is beautiful this time of year."

An uncomfortable silence fell upon the room all too quickly, and soon all that could be heard was the ticking of a reliable clock accompanied by the steady rainfall outside. Qrow looked around the room for anything interesting to talk about, but was beat to it by the woman that sat across from him. She stood up and headed back into the adjacent room that was the kitchen area before swiftly returning.

"I forgot to turn the heat on for the tea," she admitted sheepishly as she sat back down. "Sometimes I wonder how I manage to keep my life together."

"Well apparently one of the things you do is invite random troublemakers into your home," the huntsman joked.

She chuckled, "well you're not completely random. The only reason you're here is because I actually got a letter from my father yesterday about you."

"Oh really?" his interest was piqued, "and what did it say?"

"Nothing too damning, just about the interaction you two had and that he thought you could look like my brother with some changes." She paused for a moment, and he could feel her eyes examining his face thoroughly, "I could see it. He also thought it was funny that, just like my brother, he heard you were traveling with a Vastayan."

"He traveled with Ahri, right?" Qrow asked, much less for the answer, but more to see how his companion would react at the name being brought up. Things had turned sour relatively quickly when she and the other Vastayan were within the vicinity of each other.

As expected, he noticed Xayah's ears perk up once the name was said, and her eyes began to narrow. However, it wasn't in the 'cute' way that he liked to prod out of her, but in a way that was far more hostile. He half-expected her to do more to express herself, but she didn't, instead she simply sat with her displeasure.

"Yeah, they were dating, just like you two are. I used to always tell my brother that I wasn't sure how he ended up with someone so caring and pretty. After meeting her it wasn't long before I began secretly hoping that things worked out between them so she'd always be around."

Apparently that was enough to set the huntsman's companion off as she cleared her throat very loudly before quickly rising from her seat. She offered a very curt bow before turning around and presumably heading for the entrance. The sound of a door opening and shutting could be heard, leaving a very stunned Mizuki behind. Soon the all too well-timed whine of a tea kettle could be heard.

Now it was Qrow's turn to offer a sheepish grin due to Xayah's actions, but thankfully the sound of the tea being ready was enough to pull the Ionian woman out of her shock. She hurriedly got up and returned with two cups of tea. It was allowed to cool for the time being, the hot steam was enough of a warning for anyone to know it was unsafe to drink.

"I'm so sorry about that," Mizuki apologized, finally regaining her composure.

"Don't mind her," he replied, "she can be a bit overdramatic at times."

"Are you two not dating?"

"I don't think it was that, that set her off," he responded, not actually answering the question, "I've come to learn that she and Ahri don't have the best past."

"Why's that?"

"Don't know," he admitted, "I've only recently learned about it being a thing."

"That's sad, I think Ahri is a wonderful woman. I haven't had a chance to see her in years, but I'm sure she's still just as nice as the day I met her."

"I don't know if Ousuke told you or not, but I saw her while I was there on the mountain."

The pilot's face lit up at that statement and questions began to pour out of her mouth, "really?! Is she well? How does she look now? Did she say anything about my family? Is she appearing to other people?"

Qrow had not been expecting such an excited response to come from someone who, only a short time ago, was about to potentially throw him in a cell. The sudden burst of energy reminded him of how he had compared the younger Mizuki, who he had heard about in Ousuke's story, to his niece, Ruby. Eighteen year-old Mizuki was much older now, but she seemed to still have that determination and energy.

The huntsman blinked a few times to process the questions before deciding which to begin answering. "Well, she looks the same as the painting your brother created. I don't know how much younger she was then, but in truth, she didn't really look like she had aged much. I only spoke to her for a short while, but she seemed to be doing well. Sadly, the only thing she said about your family was that your dad could fix my clothes, which at the time, were pretty badly torn up."

She let out a sigh that he read as relief, "glad to know she's doing well. There is rarely a day that goes by that I don't think about how much she has done for me."

"Your dad told me about how she saved you once, do you remember what you were thinking when you went out on your own? Not to patronize you or anything, I'm genuinely curious."

"It was many years ago at this point," she pointed out, "but I just remember being really frustrated. Ionia was being overrun by Noxus and everyone on the mountain chose to hide. They simply prayed and hoped that they wouldn't be found." Shaking her head solemnly she continued, "some of them still believe that it was all of the praying that made them safe, when in reality it was because someone took action."

Qrow thought on that a moment, his real job was basically the same thing. He and a select few took care of and watched over the world as much as they could. The general populous didn't know of this, that's why it was effective, but because they didn't know meant that any very real threats went unseen. Some probably did attribute it to religion, or whatever they've made for themselves, but he couldn't see anything wrong with that. Being in the spotlight was the last thing he wanted nowadays.

Perhaps Mizuki's frustration with this was due to all of the passion she had within her, that and her connection to the person who had done such a miraculous deed. To her, people choosing not to act and allowing themselves to become blissfully ignorant seemed to be quite the offense. However, maybe she would've seen merit in it if she were from Remnant. Blissful ignorance meant lack of fear, lack of fear meant lack of Grimm. Obviously upbringing shaped someone's view of the world, but it wasn't until now that the huntsman realized the magnitude of an effect it could have.

"Can you really blame them for not giving credit to something they have no idea happened?" he asked.

The woman's smile turned into a hard line as she seemed to think about it momentarily, "no I suppose not. I guess I just felt like if Ahri had gotten celebrated for it, she would've had far more reasons to stay in that village than just my brother."

"I wouldn't know about that, you know her more than I do."

"That's true," she let out a dejected sigh.

Qrow looked up at a clock that told him how late it had gotten. Night had already been upon them when he and his companion had went out to the tavern to get something to eat. Time had only continued to pass since then, and he was still unsure of where to go from their current position in their journey back to Remnant. That'd be something to discuss with his companion who was hopefully back at the hotel they had checked into when they arrived. The likelihood of any discussion tonight after she excused herself was slim, but it'd probably be best to catch up on needed rest.

With this in mind, he quickly downed his tea that had cooled slightly, paying no mind to the actual flavors of the beverage. He then stood up and pushed his seat in as he spoke, "we all have reasons for why we do things. I'm sure Ahri has hers for why she has hidden up until recently. You'll just have to trust it's a good one."

The pilot opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by her own yawn. She apologized for her lack of manners, but Qrow simply waved it off before offering to see himself out for the night.

"Wait!" Mizuki exclaimed as the huntsman was about to close the front door, "I almost forgot! My dad mentioned that he hadn't caught your name, and I just remembered that I forgot to ask."

He stopped and stared back at her for a brief moment, assessing whether or not he wanted to leave much of a lasting impression. Well, at this point it was too late to avoid that, but he could still be wary of how much he left behind.

"You probably won't like this," he began, "but that's just not information I'm currently able to give. Like before, this is one of those situations where you're going to have to trust I have a good reason for it."

"You're right," she agreed her voice beginning to return to the stern demeanor she displayed while she was in uniform, "I don't like it. I don't like it at all. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt this once. My father had nothing but nice things to say about you, and if Ahri revealed herself to you then she saw something in you."

"Thanks," the huntsman smiled.

"I'm not done just yet though," she continued, "if you cause trouble again while you're here, I'll have no choice but to take you in."

Qrow simply nodded before they exchanged more light hearted goodbyes and he went down the soaked stone path. The rain had stopped by this point, leaving behind brisk air and a thick blanket of clouds that hid the sky. Despite the weather, this day had been productive for the raven-haired swordsman and his companion. They had arrived here in the afternoon, and earlier this night had gotten some information from the locals about a possible location of another temple. Visiting Mizuki's home was simply a move to avoid being arrested for causing some trouble, but it had been nice to meet the daughter of the man that had helped him.

Most important of all though, Qrow had confirmed some of his suspicions about the Vastayan he traveled with, and that raised questions. Questions he hoped he could get answers to.

* * *

 **(A/N) :** I don't expect many chapters to go this long in the future but there was a lot I had in my head that I wanted to happen. Sorry this one took so much time, despite having the first portion done in a matter of days after release of Chapter 5, it still took me a while to figure out the rest and be happy with the result.

The main reason for this A/N though is to respond to a review. I like to respond to reviews I get, and I normally do that through PMs, but this specific person didn't have PMs open so I'm going to respond here.

 **To Recovery-One** : Thanks for the review! I know that I have readers who may be familiar with one universe more than another, so I'm trying to find a balance between explaining things and still making it seem somewhat natural. I need some more work to make it better, but I hope I'm painting a clear enough picture. Also, I'm evil so we're not out of the woods just yet! (Pun intended!)

Also to your side note, it's definitely not weird and something I too can imagine. This story for me is something I created because the second I played Xayah in LoL I knew she and Qrow would be perfect for each other. My goal is to share that idea with people and if some walk away form this and think, "I could totally see them together," then I'm happy. For those who can just see the pairing working from the get-go then I hope this story does the idea justice. Thanks again for the review!

Next chapter is going to be an interesting one to write so I'm unsure when it will release. I hope to see you wonderful readers again when it does get uploaded though. Take care until then.


	7. Chapter 7 - The Haves Have Naught

**Chromatic Wings**

 **Chapter 7: The Haves Have Naught  
**

 **Disclaimer:** As usual, I own nothing.

 **An Unknown Forest in Ionia, the morning before reaching the capital**

Qrow awoke to the sound of a crackling fire, his vision was a blur as his eyelids opened to reveal a warm orange glow only a short distance away. The light given off by the flames paled in comparison to the steady beams of moonlight that cascaded through the canopy of leaves above. Even without the sun, the vibrant colors of the forest were apparent, and it was easy to find Xayah who was facing him from the opposite end of the fire. Despite being in her field of view, Qrow could tell that her attention was directed elsewhere as incandescent light reflected off of her golden irises.

The scene in front of him was almost picturesque, not unlike several paintings he had encountered on his travels as he hopped from one establishment to another. Had he been an artist he may have felt compelled to capture it on a canvas, but instead he was only reminded that a picture could never tell the full story.

Feeling almost guilty for disturbing the striking atmosphere, Qrow rubbed the exhaustion out of his eyes with the back of his hand and slowly stood up. The sore feeling throughout his body from the events prior was still present, but they were just a whisper when compared to how he had felt. Taking note of the fact that morning wasn't too far off, he walked toward his companion who was now eyeing him curiously. Her posture hadn't shifted on the log she occupied, but her eyes tracked every movement he made. It was reminiscent of the time when he had first woken up on Runeterra, only her gaze lacked the unforgiving hostility it once had.

Opting to continue standing, the huntsman took a spot across from his companion. He did some lazy stretching to make sure he was only sore, and when he was satisfied he let out a weak yawn before reaching for his flask and putting it up to his lips. All the while Xayah continued to stare at him with no attempt made to hide it. It was almost as if she was sizing him up but without the standoffish nature.

Eventually he began to return the same level of attention, and they locked themselves into some sort of staring contest. Their immediate temperature, previous situations, and the occasional crackle of the warm fire between them quickly became irrelevant for a brief moment. Qrow couldn't help but smirk as he allowed himself to indulge in the little contest. Whether the woman who was staring back at him was enjoying herself or not wasn't evident on her face, but the important thing to him was that she was the first to look away.

"My father used to tell me a story," she stated seemingly out of nowhere as she glanced at the fleeting signs of moonlight. "It was about the moon and why if you look at it from the right angle, it kind of looks like the face of a rabbit is imprinted onto it."

Qrow blinked a few times before turning to face in the same direction as the Vastayan. While the statement was unexpected, for some reason it felt like it was the only thing that could have followed up their mutual silence.

"I don't remember it word for word," she continued, "but the general gist of it focused around a human who was starving to death in a forest. With no supplies and little strength to gather them, he turned to asking the animals for help. Out of the goodness of their hearts, some of them immediately got to work gathering food. Among the ones that wanted to help was a rabbit. According to the way my father tells it, this rabbit had the right intentions, but it soon realized that being a herbivore meant all it could do was gather things that were inedible to the human. So, after some thought, the rabbit decided to toss itself onto the small fire that the other animals had created for the starving man."

She paused there for a good minute or two, presumably to make sure the huntsman was on the same page as her. For a second Qrow thought that was all to the story and was at a loss for what the point was, but the sound of Xayah's voice dissuaded him from accidentally interrupting.

"Well, instead of being cooked alive, the rabbit found that the fire didn't burn at all. You could imagine its confusion, and the human helped it understand what had happened. Turns out, he was so moved by the rabbit's decision to sacrifice itself so someone else may live that he saved it from its chosen fate. Then he took the rabbit up to the moon and immortalized it by adding its face to it. When they returned here, the human explained that by imprinting the rabbit's face on something floating within the heavens, he was showing that selfless deeds like that were always remembered by those affected. The face of the one who had given up something for them was always imprinted in their mind, and that's how it should be."

"That's quite the story," the huntsman replied after making sure that the conclusion had been reached.

"I thought the same when I was young," his companion responded as she stood up from her seat and took a step toward the horizon the moon was preparing to hide behind, "Especially when my father tossed in the idea that the rabbit was an ancestor to the Vastaya. I think he wanted to push the moral that differences between your species and mine are only skin deep, and in the end we could and should work to raise each other up."

"An admirable idea, if only more people shared the same outlook. Perhaps the world as a whole would be a much better place."

Xayah nodded, "I also thought that when I was younger."

"Thought?"

"Yes, 'thought'," she affirmed, "I once believed that was the proper way things should be and I believed that's how things were."

"What about now?" Qrow asked with an eyebrow raised despite his companion no longer looking in his direction. A small amount of concern buzzed around in the back of his mind, but it would take a lot more before it could even be slightly shown in his voice.

"Now… I'm not so sure," she turned toward him, the expression on her face was one of slight uncertainty. It was an expression that hadn't broken the stone-faced demeanor that she had on display since the moment he had first saw her. "But I will tell you one thing, not even a month ago the moral I found in that story was that humans were all lying charlatans."

The huntsman nodded thoughtfully, a story could be interpreted many ways. Depending on the mindset you wanted to push onto someone, you could use this tale as an example. The idea of humans being lying charlatans could be an easy interpretation if you injected some simple cynicism into the story. Suddenly a story about a rabbit that gave its life to feed a starving human is now about how a powerful human lied to forest creatures to perform some sort of sick test to see how far the participants would go to fulfill someone else's needs.

However, something or someone had changed Xayah's way of thinking if now she was unsure of how she viewed the story. The implication that it was him could be seen as obvious, but at the same time, she could've been talking about something else entirely. She had gone silent after her last statement, whether or not she was waiting for a response wasn't clear, but he decided to give her one.

"Well that's certainly one way to look at it," he caught her eyes as she sat back down. "My folks were never big on telling things like that, they reasoned that we shouldn't waste time finding merit in fictional tales. Instead we should be focusing on making our life a worthwhile story to be told."

"They sound dedicated."

"That's certainly one way to describe them," Qrow admitted, holding back a sour face.

He wasn't big on talking about where he came from, or the people he grew up with. Anyone who knew him would know that for obvious reasons. Yet, something inside of him wanted to connect with the woman who sat across from him for another night. Her telling this story was as personal as she had gotten since they met, and he knew that if he wanted to have some more cordial interactions with her, he'd have to give up a little about himself as well. He could've lied, but giving up that personal information was of little consequence, and deep down, he had to admit that being open with someone was a nice feeling he hadn't experienced for a few years now.

Xayah's moment of vulnerability came and went, and while Qrow wanted to learn more, he didn't want to pry either. If tonight was anything to go off of, she'd voluntarily reveal more about herself when she was comfortable.

The soreness his body felt thanks to the earlier events and uncomfortable sleeping position caused a question to continue to eat at him as they sat in silence. His uncertainty to ask it stemmed from trying to be careful about what his companion would or would not want to talk about. Spontaneously passing out and waking up somewhere else isn't exactly an experience people like replicating or discussing all the time. However, Xayah didn't seem fazed, in fact she looked to be more distraught about the fact that he hadn't just let her die. With that in mind, Qrow decided to take his chances.

"So. Does passing out after transporting to another world happen to you on a regular basis?" he asked with his usual air of sarcasm.

"Only yours apparently," she shrugged.

"Why do you think that is?"

"I'm not sure," the Vastaya revealed, "I was there taking it all in one second, and the next I wake up back here. I guess my body just wasn't up for it."

The huntsman only hummed in reply as he thought for a plausible reason. When he had made his trip here he had also passed out from exhaustion upon arrival. However, after his trip back he felt perfectly fine. Not only that, but he had used the gateway twice within what was probably the same hour. Maybe a person simply had to go through it once before their body got used to it? It seemed too easy, but that was all that was known about that method of travel so far.

Either way, they'd have to play it safe when another opportunity to return to Remnant arose.

* * *

 **The Capital of Ionia, Present**

"So, what's our next step?"

Xayah's ears twitched slightly and her eyes moved from focusing on a random area of their hotel room's ceiling to the raven-haired man who was busy staring out of the nearby window. His arms rested on the windowsill as he leaned forward and looked at the capital city below them that humans and Vastaya alike had worked hard to build. Whether he was impressed or uninterested by it all wasn't evident on his face, but Xayah couldn't imagine it was the former. Despite Ionia's pride in its architecture with connecting archways, rooftop gardens, efficient streets, and a tasteful display of colors, it did very little for her now that she had explored it to death.

As for the answer to his question, well the next step was pretty obvious. They take the information they had overheard and tested its validity, the best way to do that was to see for themselves. But if Qrow felt the need to ask what they were going to do next it meant that he had other things on his mind, or at the very least, it meant he saw options that she didn't.

"My next step is asking you how you got back in here last night without me noticing," she replied as she returned her attention to the ceiling.

After she had so unceremoniously left the huntsman at Mizuki's house, Xayah had allowed her feelings toward Ahri get the better of her and she had asked the person working the front desk to refuse anyone matching Qrow's description a spare key to her room. He was the one that had brought her up after all, and he had fraternized with her at least once. The fox-Vastaya was one of few things she hated more than humans, and that was infamy that was pretty difficult to obtain.

"What can I say? I have quite the silver tongue when it comes to talking to buxom receptionists." She could hear his grin as he referred to the woman who had been working when they first asked for a room. That had been a couple hours before Xayah had returned on her own.

"The receptionist was male at night," the Vastaya corrected flatly.

"You don't know my life."

"And if you had come through the front door I would've noticed."

"I don't know about that one," Qrow responded coyly as Xayah heard his subtle movements while he shifted from leaning forward on the windowsill to turning around and leaning against it. "You snore so loudly I'm amazed it doesn't keep me up."

She turned her head just enough to make eye contact with her companion, "keep this up and I'll make sure you won't have to worry about waking up the next time you go to sleep."

"Well I don't snore so I'd actua-" his sentence stopped short when he was forced to throw his head back to avoid a violet plume. "Point taken. If you wanted to keep me out I figured you'd at least lock the window, sure this room is two stories up, but you should know how much of a pain in the ass I can be by now."

Xayah wanted to argue about how she had locked the window, and how it would've been really difficult to climb the side of the building anyway especially due to the rain from that night. However his last statement rang true, he was a pain in the ass, and he would probably just skirt around the question while giving an answer that would leave her more unsatisfied than this one.

Fighting the urge to sigh, she sat up from her place on the bed as she rubbed any remnants of sleep from her golden eyes. She could've reinforced every inch of this room and Qrow still probably would've found a way in. That was something she had taken into account when she had pursued actions to make his return just a little bit more difficult. It was clear that he found humor in all this, and it almost felt like he existed simply to spite her. First with his antics, and secondly by doing things that would throw her off mentally, distorting her view of things she had felt so certain about for several years of her life.

"Well the simple answer is heading toward the place those people in the tavern were talking about. Then it's back to Remnant," she replied to finally answer the initial question.

"Right," he agreed,"but my concern isn't about whether or not this place is the real deal. My concern is whether or not you'll be fine after the trip to Remnant. Getting back is only beneficial if you don't pass out when we arrive, we don't know where exactly we'll end up."

The idea of a human having concern for her well-being was an uncomfortable one, and Xayah quickly reasoned that he wasn't concerned for her, but for success of a task he wanted to complete. As for how to find success, well she had an idea. If Qrow's world was really one that lacked magical energy, then she'd need something to keep her body's dependence for magical energy in check.

"Nothing says that will happen again a second time," she reasoned as the feather that embedded itself into the wall earlier was called back to a spot on her gauntlet.

"True," the huntsman took a drink from his flask before returning it to his pocket, "but I still think we need a backup plan."

"Fair enough," she shrugged, "there is a marketplace in the center of the city that we can visit. Maybe they'll have something that can help us out."

"What exactly would we look for?"

"Probably an elixir or something to that effect. If not that, I'm sure the eggheads from Piltover have some fantastical new device that will allow me to travel through time, cook dinner, shapeshift, and summon a band of Yordles to play my mother's great uncle's father's favorite tune with being able to travel between worlds without taking an involuntary nap as an added bonus."

"...what?"

Xayah shook her head as she stood up and headed for the door, "nevermind. Let's get going."

They had a quick breakfast at the hotel before heading toward the capital city's marketplace. Qrow brought up that Piltover had also been mentioned the night before, and Xayah gave a short but colorful description of what many people referred to as "The City of Progress". It was where people's creations went to live or die. It focused on pushing the envelope in terms of technology, and that made it the birthplace of several different ideas. Successful products created within Piltover tended to be adopted across all of Runeterra, and with commerce flourishing it made for a very wealthy city.

It was a place that she had only seen in pictures and heard of in passing conversations. She didn't wish to visit it, at least, not in good faith. The inventors from Piltover were one of the larger forces behind the destruction of her home and several other magical forests. Their insatiable lust for resources meant they sapped all they could get from nature before leaving behind the skeletal remains of what they stole from. The results were of little consequence to the non-natives, and the irony of a culture that prided itself on how progressive it was while employing backward practices wasn't lost on those that had their homes forcefully taken from them.

At first the Ionian government had intervened and worked hard to protect the homes of those that chose to live outside of official boundaries, namely the Vastaya. But as time passed, seeds of both corruption and misguided desires were sown, and slowly but surely fewer Ionians rose to protect their neighbors. Some even went as far as to invest in the companies that were directly benefiting from all of this. Xayah had once overheard a politician justifying actions like this by claiming that all of the money they made was put back into the country they loved.

Their term in office came to an abrupt end that night.

The possibility of giving someone who could be directly responsible for the continued destruction of nature's beauty made her feel sick, but there didn't seem to be another option that would end well.

 _Is a slim chance at a place where more people from my race exist really worth going this far?_ the Vastayan revolutionary asked herself despite knowing her answer. She wouldn't admit it, but toppling Ionia was a tall order for one person, no matter how skilled. After that she had plans for the rest of Runeterra, she wanted to return it back to the state it was in before humans ravaged the landscape with petty wars and greed. If Remnant did have people that came from similar backgrounds as her, then she could find some like-minded individuals that would aid her cause. If not that, then she could at least learn how so many of her kind managed to still be alive.

A populated marketplace was a good indicator of not only how wealthy a city might be, but also how well the trade business was doing. The dedicated city square used for commerce wasn't quite bustling with customers when the pair of travelers arrived, but that could be attributed to arriving shortly after everything had been set up. There were stands for several different wares from something as simple as baked goods to something as elaborate as hand-forged weapons.

Traders advertised where they hailed from with pride using banners to decorate their stalls, some going as far as to decorate their setup with their nation's colors. Among all this, Xayah would occasionally toss a glance toward her partner to gauge his reaction. If he felt overwhelmed or out of his element, he did a great job of concealing it, except for his eyes. She could see them dart back and forth at times, or linger on something or someone a short distance away. Despite missing a small handful of nations, this marketplace was each corner of Runeterra brought together on the smallest of scales.

As far as the search to find something that could help them, well that came with mixed results. The first vendor they visited was a Demacian trader, their stall sported brilliant golds and blues with their main focus on selling armor. They had a few tonics that were infused with different minerals the nation was known for having an abundance of, but none of them matched the purpose they were needed for.

Their walk around the area was prolonged by swaths of people that began to arrive to see what was on sale as the sun broke through the cloud cover above to meet them. None were deterred by the puddles of rainwater left behind from the previous night, nor the growing crowds. To save time, Qrow suggested splitting up to which Xayah hesitantly agreed. She liked being able to keep him in her line of sight, and she wasn't exactly certain he could keep out of trouble. Not only that, but she wasn't winning any popularity contests among the residents of the capital city if the previous night was any indication. She still didn't know how the man that accused her of murder knew that it might've been her, or even who he was for that matter.

Brushing the thought of the stranger possibly noticing her or Qrow among the growing crowd of people aside, she continued her search. Things would've been easier if the layout of the traders didn't change every week, but complaining about it wouldn't help any. The next merchant of note was a Zaun alchemist, his booth looked ratty and run down which made Xayah raise a questioning eyebrow since she knew all traders were provided with brand new equipment. As for the merchant himself, well, his fashion matched the ratty stall. Several different kinds of stains were present on the brown, worn dinner jacket that hung on his shoulders. Soot smeared his left cheek, with his right eye replaced by a robotic one that failed to draw away attention from his balding head.

While the alchemist's wares were certainly much closer to what Xayah was looking for, with different potions and syringes lining the table, she wasn't exactly keen on sticking needles into her body. Not only that, but there was a good chance none of the products had been tested along with all of them being contaminated. Zaun may be as wealthy and technologically advanced as Piltover due to their no holds barred methods of testing, but they still weren't the most trustworthy.

A few more minutes sifting through groups of people ended up fruitless, and eventually the Vastayan reconvened with her companion in front of booth run by a trader from Piltover. Although, that wasn't the first time she had seen Qrow after splitting up. She swore that she caught a glimpse of him at a couple different shops belonging to craftsmen earlier.

"Any luck?" she was the first to ask.

He shook his head no before replying, "This is one of the last ones I have left to check out, there were some promising things that I found that may work, but I don't feel too confident."

They both turned to see an immaculate stand that was a stark contrast to the Zaun booth Xayah had just seen. Everything was so clean that one could practically see their reflection on the wooden countertop. There was an assortment of several different products for sale from jewelry to art to weapons with each kind sitting in an ornate glass case. Everything was organized neatly, and behind it all sat an older man who had probably just reached his sixties. Long wispy gray hair framed his face and he was clean-shaven with a clean gray suit as his main attire.

"What can I do for you two today?" his voice was clear and easy to hear over all of the conversations taking place in their immediate area. The smile on his face seemed genuine as it carried itself into his speech.

Xayah hated everything about him already. She wanted to wipe the smile off of his face and destroy everything he had brought to sell. Hextech crystals were the main component for things created in Piltover, and they were rare to find. She had no doubt that several of them had been harvested from Ionia, even if she couldn't directly prove it without asking. However, this was necessary, and Qrow not knowing what to directly ask for meant that she had to do the talking here.

"Do you have something that can deploy a magical barrier to the wielder?" she forced a cheerful and interested tone as she asked her question.

"Something like an artificial Aura?" the trader asked.

Xayah pretended to think on it for a second, she already had an Aura and that didn't help her in the slightest last time. "No, not really. A barrier that protects more against lets say changes in atmosphere, like if I were to climb a really tall mountain or dive to the bottom of an ocean."

The man's eyes seemed to light up at that, "you're in luck actually! A few weeks ago a colleague of mine finished this piece here which does something to that effect." He then reached into the glass case of jewelry without a moment of hesitation and procured a timepiece with a boxed design to it. Shining a bright gold, there were several interlocking gears of varying colors like bronze and silver that were visible showing how the clock itself worked. However, telling actual time with it was harder than necessary, with the owner of it needing to check the orientation of each gear to understand where hands would be on a normal clock.

In the bottom left corner of the timepiece was a barometer that looked about as elaborate to read as the clock itself, and in the top right was a thermometer that had some sort of blue electric energy within it. When flipped over, a compass could be found pointing north, as was its prerogative.

"What price is your colleague asking for?" it was Qrow who spoke this time.

Xayah already knew Hextech equipment came with a very steep price, she also knew that there was little chance she could actually afford it. She definitely wasn't wealthy, nor did she need to be. If she needed something, she usually took it, or lightened someone else's purse to get what she desired.

"Three-thousand gold," he replied before returning it back to its spot in the jewelry case.

The Vastaya could feel her companion's eyes as he turned to face her with a questioning expression. Her response was to shoot him a death glare silently asking if she looked like she was made of money. Much to her chagrin, she got a nonchalant shrug in return.

"How about a trade?" the huntsman inquired which made Xayah wonder what he could possibly have that this wealthy individual would trade for.

"A trade?" the stall owner asked.

"Yes, an exchange for something of equal or greater value."

"Well, other than gold I don't see what you could possibly have that would make it worthwhile. But I don't see why not."

Qrow nodded before turning toward Xayah once more and whispering, "go get me a training dummy from that woman three stalls over."

She immediately had so many questions, but knew better than to try and figure out his antics by now. So without a second thought she began weaving through people once more before arriving at a different Demacian stall than the first one encountered. The redhead behind the counter was finishing up a sale when Xayah arrived, but she tossed a glance her way to show that she had seen her approach.

Daggers, swords, and shields were on display, and behind the woman sat five training dummies used to test the weapons she sold.

"Hey!" the Demacian called as she made her way across the stall, "I really like your dress!"

Xayah ignored the attempt to open a friendly dialogue and got to the point, "how much for one of those training dummies?"

The redhead seemed to straighten up at the business approach, but her porcelain face continued to be very expressive. She put a finger to her bottom lip before turning around once or twice to look at the product in question, "I'm not sure I can sell you those since they're built specifically to test these swords. I will ask though."

True to her word, the woman called over a man who was probably her superior. He turned to address Xayah directly.

"We can sell one for fifty gold."

That was an amount of money that she did have, but the spirit of the trade within her told her that it wasn't something she was willing to part with. What did Qrow really need it for anyway? It's not like he was going to carry it with him all the way to Remnant. He was already carrying his pack, and there wasn't anything logical he could need it for.

"Well I'm not going to be around for very long anyway, and realistically I don't plan on taking the dummy with me, so how twenty gold to rent it?"

"Rent it?"

"Exactly! I'll give it back to you guys in a condition that's easily repaired after its used and you guys make money and get your dummy back."

The redhead spoke this time, "why don't you just give us one of the feathers from your cloak? If they're Vastayan you know they're worth way more than all five of those dummies combined."

 _How do I nicely tell someone that I'd rather be skinned alive and impaled by every magical dagger I can create than make that trade._ She kept the thought to herself, and made sure her anger toward that suggestion wasn't easily noticed as she glanced at her wing.

"I'd rather not," came Xayah's simple response.

* * *

"So you're claiming that this could be an alternative to Hextech crystals?" the vendor from Piltover asked as he held a vial of fire elemental Dust in his hand.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Qrow grinned, "a merchant gave it to me as payment after I successfully defended him from bandits. I didn't believe his claims either, but I gave it a shot and it happened to be the last component I needed for this right here."

The huntsman removed the pack that was hanging on one of his shoulders and he placed it on the ground. He then retrieved his weapon from its place on his back. The silver finish shone brightly in the sun, and its compact form had it at the length of a typical sword. A strange black design ran down the length of the blade, with its significance only known to Qrow himself. To others it might've looked like the eye of a bird at the base before turning into a very sharp point like a beak at the tip of the blade.

"This here is my pride and joy," he continued before commanding his blade to telescope to the full length of a greatsword by way of a small lever near its red hilt.

"You built this yourself?"

"Yup! Blood, sweat, and tears as they say."

The older man looked it over with great scrutiny, even going as far to use a magnifying device to take in every detail. "And what about this system of cogs you have here near the hilt? Don't disappoint me and tell me it's just for show."

Qrow chuckled, "of course not, fashion is part of the product, but I wouldn't go to great lengths to make sure something looked more elaborate than it actually is. This system is exactly what I use that elemental Dust for."

The trader hummed thoughtfully as he inspected the vial again before returning it, "you'll have to forgive me for being skeptical, but if this is truly an alternative to Hextech technology, why hasn't word made it to Piltover yet?"

"For the exact reason you haven't agreed to the trade yet," the huntsman reasoned, "you're too skeptical and not willing to take a chance on it. That's the case for many others as well, not only that, but some people simply don't want to believe it. As an inventor myself I can somewhat relate."

"Imagine if you spent years perfecting your creation, all with specific knowledge about Hextech and then some upstart appears with a component that turns your whole plan on its head. It'd be devastating if you weren't willing to face facts."

"Perhaps you're right," the merchant nodded, "but since you have used it in your sword here, could you demonstrate it?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

As if on cue, Xayah returned with the training dummy Qrow had asked for, but to his surprise, the person holding it was the red-headed weapons vendor he had noticed before.

"Where do you want it?" the Vastayan asked flatly.

Without sparing a second they set up the demonstration, and despite protests from the people around them, they were able to clear enough space just incase something went awry. Their corner of the marketplace fell silent as if some sort of performance was about to start, with onlookers whispering to each other as they tried to figure out what was going on.

Qrow stood a moderate distance away from his target, his face held a serious look as he pointed forward with his weapon. He allowed a few seconds to pass before pressing a lever on his hilt, causing the sound of gears turning to fill the air for a brief moment. The sound was accompanied by the blade angling itself slightly downward at a sharp angle.

A few more seconds passed before he finally pulled the trigger that was hidden on his weapon, causing flaming buckshot to spray forward with deadly acceleration. All of the projectiles connected with the training dummy that was a mix of wood an metal, and it immediately went up in flames. The force from the blow had ripped its arms cleanly off and Qrow could only watch as the burning pieces flew through the air with their trajectory causing them to land on one of the other wooden stalls. With an inevitable fire and the sudden booming report of the huntsman's weapon, the marketplace turned into chaos.

"Xayah!"

"Already on it!" she yelled before using her feathers to pin the Piltover merchant's loose cuffs to the counter of his stall.

Qrow made his way around to the merchant's side of the booth with his sword angled at him. He watched as his partner took the timepiece from its case before recalling her feathers and running toward an exit from the plaza.

"Looks like the deal is made," the huntsman said before sliding the vials of Dust into the trader's shirt pocket and tossing him to the ground. It wasn't a move to put extra salt in the wound, but rather to make it so others didn't think that they were affiliated with each other. He had no intention in possibly making this stranger's day worse than it had to be. Qrow then threw his pack over his shoulder and chased after Xayah with his sword drawn.

Not a second passed before the flaming arms of the training dummy connected with another wooden stall as predicted, and it immediately went up in flames. Guards could be heard barking orders, and neither of the two culprits had plans to be on the receiving end of those commands.

All of the colorful and unique architecture Qrow had taken note of before, now all looked the exact streets that he once regarded as efficient had become a tangled mess as he took one turn after another, and all the while Xayah was getting further and further away. He appreciated his companion's confidence in him, if that's what it was, but this would have a bad end if things didn't change soon. It only took five more civilians that were knocked aside and two more corners before she had vanished from his sight.

Instead of bothering to guess, the huntsman ran into an empty alley before shifting his body into his more inconspicuous form. The familiar transition from his human body to that of a crow only took a few seconds to take place, and he immediately began soaring through the air.

Now with no concern of being caught, he circled back toward the marketplace. He spotted several groups of guards helping people up and rushing off in different directions in attempts to find the two criminals. The trade area itself was nearly empty, and the fire had spread to a few more booths, but it looked like no one was physically hurt. But at the center of the area was a face he was hoping he wouldn't see again after the previous night. Mizuki was delegating tasks to her subordinates with an expression of anger replacing the calmness Qrow had seen when he had spoken with her.

He let out a mental sigh of relief before he headed for the entrance to the large city, the human form of himself would have smiled at the violet and crimson blur that was narrowly avoiding capture.


	8. Announcement

Sadly, this isn't a chapter this is just an update. TL;DR at the bottom.

I know it's been almost a year and I've been more or less radio silent on this story. I'm not abandoning it, and I'm sure as hell not allowing it to be adopted. But there isn't going to be a new chapter any time soon either. I'm really sorry to people who fell in love with this pairing and really like this story so far, but I have to just accept that I've fallen out of touch with the pace of the story.

The long and short of why I haven't written any new chapters is essentially this: I haven't felt motivated to really write anything for a large part of 2018 up until recently. I'm working on random short stories at the moment that I'm not taking as seriously as I did Chromatic Wings so I don't feel stressed to deliver an S-tier story. It has helped me get back into writing, but I'm still very flippant when it comes to sitting down and writing.

I really wanted to surprise everyone with a new chapter before the year was out, but I'm starting a new job next week and with that taking up most of my time I don't think I'd fit in working on this fic.

So what does that mean, what am I trying to say?

Well for a while now I've been meaning to rewrite Chromatic Wings because I really don't like how it all started. When I wrote chapter one I was just putting an idea out there and I wasn't concerning myself too much with specifics. To me as the author, that really shows. Over the months I've been silent I did successfully rewrite the first chapter, and now it feels more... real/believable. For the most part it's still the same in terms of the events, but the addition of more specifics changes up the way the chapters that follow it work in terms of progression. That means that chapters 2-7 need to also be rewritten in one way or another. So from here on I'm going to work on a rewrite.

I'm not going to give it a new title, or post a new story. When it's done I'll announce it through either a similar announcement or with the release of chapter eight. I know rewriting can be a trap and it can suck the fun out of a story, but with Riot FINALLY releasing an official map that isn't year(s) old concepts, I have a bunch of other things I have to change regardless. (Now if only they could give us a measure of distance for the love of Runeterra.) This rewrite will allow me to get back in touch with the flow of my story, and it will straighten out a lot of my plans that I wrote for the story.

I wish I could say it should be done by x time, but I can't estimate that as I've realized that I'm bad at putting deadlines on my hobbies.

Thank you to everyone that read Chromatic Wings up until this point, and whether or not you read the rewrite and continue on with the story as it comes out, I appreciate the follows, favorites, and reviews.

Xayah and Qrow are still my OTP, and if you want to see art I commissioned (which is now the story's cover) then just head over to

Twitter dot com/Suros_Six/status/975052178506244096 .

(For those unfamiliar, you replace dot with a period . and remove the spaces)

Happy Holidays, and once again, I'm sorry that I couldn't provide you guys with a new chapter.

TL;DR: I'm rewriting Chromatic Wings and it will replace the chapters posted on this story instead of a new story being posted. No ETA on it.


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